


We'll Go Home and Start Again

by Lyssala



Series: Modern AU [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, One Shot Collection, Tumblr request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-16
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-08-22 16:57:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 57
Words: 124,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8293211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyssala/pseuds/Lyssala
Summary: A collection of Tumblr requests that take place in Alternative Universes of many varieties featuring Eren and Mikasa. It's primarily Modern AU worlds, but there are a few others in there too. Ratings vary by chapter; K-M. Other pairings may show up as well.





	1. Crush

**Author's Note:**

> The first of four in the Modern AU Series! This one will probably be my longest series because I have no self control and I write in Modern AU way too much.

_**mcpeterism:** Eremika - I twisted my ankle and you’re the only one here strong enough to carry me to the nurse’s office but we’re both really awkward_

* * *

Mikasa was never late to class. She was always sitting in her seat with everything she needed out and ready by the time the bell rang. How she found herself practically running through the nearly empty halls to get to class on time was beyond her. Okay, maybe not  _completely_ beyond her. She may or may not have gotten distracted reading the newest book in her favorite series and maybe lost track of time. It didn’t help that every time she saw a teacher she had to slow down and walk at a normal pace to her class on the complete opposite side of the building and the first bell just rang.

She groaned and picked up her pace again once Miss Zoe was out of sight in the science hall, not that she would’ve even noticed if Mikasa was running or not. She held her bag tighter to her, her book gripped against her chest as she hurried through the increasingly emptying halls. She had time, it was okay. It was just the first bell, she had to the second to get to class.

The thought of walking into the class, all her classmates eyes on her as she tried to find an empty seat somewhere had Mikasa’s stomach turning. It was just English with Miss Ral and Mikasa knew the kind teacher wouldn’t give her a tardy slip but it wasn’t even that, it was the horrible embarrassment and the teasing that would come from Mikasa, the perfect student, being late for class. Not that she thought she was perfect, but her classmates seemed to think so for some reason.

She pushed the doors open to the atrium but she didn’t even have time to enjoy the fact the place was empty for once because the second bell would ring any moment. She did however have time to wish she grabbed her jacket or sweater because it was freezing out here, snow covering the ground.  Mikasa sprinted across the atrium, an easy shortcut to get to the building that held her English class.

One moment she was leaping through a few spots of snow to keep her shoes dry, the next she felt her stomach sink as she felt the weightless feeling of being knocked off her feet. Mikasa prided herself on being a rather quick person. Normally she could regain her balance pretty easily as to not make a fool of herself but she was so flustered from nearly being late she fell to the snow covered ground.

With a groan she pushed herself up, her white uniform shirt already covered in snow and dirt, hands scraped from trying to catch herself. She looked down to see a patch of ice underneath her body, hiding under the snow.

“Great,” she murmured, looking down at her equally dirty skirt and a nice new tear in her knee high socks. “Just great.”

Mikasa went to push herself to her feet not wanting to come in late and looking like a mess but a sharp pain shot through her body, causing her to collapse back onto the snowy, wet ground. She looked down to her legs, one ankle much more swollen then the other. She didn’t think it was broken or anything but, God, did it hurt. She tried to push herself up again without putting any weight on it, but found herself on the ground again. Mikasa gritted her teeth. She had to get to class or…

The second bell rang.

She felt the sharp sting of tears in her eyes, whether because her leg hurt or because she’d really be late for class now and look like a complete idiot when she walked in, she wasn’t quite sure. Her pride told her it was the former but Mikasa was fairly certain it was the latter.

The chilling wind blew through the small space, cutting through her thin and now wet uniform. She closed her eyes. It’s okay. It’s not so bad. It’ll be okay. Her internal pep talk wasn’t working so well when she felt her frustrated tears slip through clenched eyes.

“Hey, hey, are you okay?”

Mikasa’s eyes shot open at the sudden sound of someone else’s voice and she came face to face with brilliant green eyes. She tried her best not to gasp and lunge backwards into the snow. Oh, this was great. Just when she didn’t think this could get any worse, it was Eren Jaeger who was crouched in front of her, his forehead furrowed as he watched her. Wonderful, not only did she successfully miss her class, but she fell on her ass, looked like a mess, and the one person to find her, the one person in the whole damn school was the one boy she had a crush on since freshman year. Oh, this was a day.

“Ah, yeah,” she said reaching a hand up to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. Maybe he just saw her on the ground and not her horribly embarrassing sequence of events. “I’ll be fine.”

Eren didn’t exactly look convinced. “Okay, why don’t you get up then.”

She blinked at him. “You saw didn’t you?”

“The whole thing.”

Despite the fact the rest of her body was nearly numb from the cold, her cheeks felt like they were on fire. This just kept getting better. She didn’t even know what to say. “I just want to go to class.” Well, it wasn’t a lie.

He snorted and started shrug off his jacket. “Well, hate to break it to you, Mikasa. If you can’t walk, you probably can’t get to class.”

A jolt went through her body when she heard her name come from his mouth. “You know my name?” It was probably the stupidest thing to ask, because clearly he did, he just said it.

It was his turn to look at her strangely. “Yeah,” he said slowly, flipping his jacket around so he could drape it over her shoulders. “We’ve been in the same class for three years. I know your name.”

As if her cheeks weren’t hot enough. She really just wanted to lay out here in the snow for the rest of the day and sulk in her utter embarrassment. His jacket was very warm though, though another jolt hit her when she realized it was warm because he had been wearing it.

“Let’s get you out of the snow, huh? I don’t think you want to lose any of your limbs due to frost bite.”

“I’m okay, really. I don’t want to make you miss your own class.”

He arched an eyebrow at her. “I’m not leaving you out here in the cold, so save us some time and stop objecting. What’s hurting you?”

Mikasa’s heart was practically pounding out of her chest. Eren was always nice to her but this was probably the longest conversation they ever had. “Oh, um, it’s my ankle I think.”

Eren peered over at her legs. “Can you move it?”

“Yeah, I just can’t stand up on it I guess.”

“It’s probably not broken, so I wouldn’t worry about that. At worst a sprain, at the least you just twisted it. We still should probably get you to the nurse, she’ll be able to tell better than me.”

“I might be able to walk there,” Mikasa said, getting ready to push herself back up to her feet as carefully as she could.

“That could aggravate it more. Don’t worry, I got you.” He grabbed her bag that skidded off to her side and handed it to her.

She flipped it open just to make sure nothing slipped out to get lost in the snow.

“This yours too?”

Mikasa looked up only to see Eren holding up her slightly wet copy of her horribly cliché young adult novel. Her eyes went wide, and she thought for a moment of protesting and leaving the book in the snow. “Um, yeah.”

“Don’t tell me you were reading while you were walking again and that’s why you fell.” He gave her an amused smile while reaching over to tuck the book in her bag for her. No cracks about what kinda books she read, no teasing that it was stupid, no comment on it at all.

“I’ve never fallen while reading and walking.”

Eren rolled his eyes, but he still had that warm smile on his lips. “Hold on, okay?”

Before Mikasa could actually protest, Eren slid one arm around her back to grab her waist. He reached under her legs with his other arm and scooped her up off the cold ground and up against his chest. Mikasa was rather ashamed of the squeak of surprised that fell from her lips when he stood up easily, her hands reaching up to grab onto his shirt.

“I said I got you,” he chuckled, and Mikasa could almost feel his laugh she was so close to his neck, his face.

She was pretty sure her face was permanently red at this point, though at least she could blame it on the cold and her wet uniform.

He looked over at her, and Mikasa had to remember how to breathe. “Is this okay? I’m sorry, I didn’t even really ask.”

“Oh, um, no, yeah, it’s fine,” she kinda sputtered. Okay, Mikasa, way to know how to talk to someone. Just because he was gorgeous, and kind, and stood up for her that one time she was picked on in freshman year, and had the prettiest smile, and was carrying her in his arms, no reason to freak out. Nope. None at all.

God help her.

“Okay,” he said giving her a smile that made her heart skip. “Let’s get back inside then.” He started to walk, avoiding the patch of ice she slipped on in the first place. He walked right up to one set of doors, the one that would put them in the building with the nurse’s office. He stopped at the glass doors, suddenly hesitating. “Um, okay, I didn’t quite think this through.”

Mikasa, who was trying desperately to ignore how warm he was and how good he smelt while her body rocked easily against his, looked up at him and he tapped his fingers against her before nodding to the doors, doors with handles. He couldn’t open the doors. “Oh!” she said. “Um, get close enough and I think I can do it.”

Eren walked closer to the doors, angling himself so Mikasa could reach out and grab the handle. She swung it open as best she could with knocking him over or hitting him in the face or chest or anywhere really. He quickly turned and caught the door on his back, moving so she didn’t get hit through the doorway, and they were back inside and back in the heat.

“Look at that teamwork,” he said, starting to slowly walk down the empty hallway.

Mikasa couldn’t help but stare around her. She never saw the hallways like this while school was still going on, the distant echoes of teachers talking in their respective classrooms.

“What class were you trying to get to?” Eren asked, his voice sounding so loud in the otherwise quiet building.

“Miss Ral’s British Literature,” she answered, her fingers playing with some of the buttons on her shirt, unsure where to keep them as he carried her.

“Ah, I have that first period and let me tell you, I don’t think I fall asleep faster in any class. Whose idea was it to have English first period? Cause it was a shit one.”

“I got one better,” Mikasa said, her voice sounding like a whisper. “Chemistry with Miss Zoe.”

Eren let out a low whistle. “Fall asleep in that one and you’ll burn your face off.”

“Connie Springer does it every morning. It’s a miracle he doesn’t have chemical burns of some sort.”

“That sounds like Connie,” Eren snorted.

Silence settled over them again, and Mikasa felt her stomach turn with nerves. Did she say something else? Did he want to walk in silence and get this over with? Maybe she should try talking to him again.

Of course she started to say, “So what class-” as he said, “Do you have-”.  Mikasa closed her mouth, the stinging embarrassment that always followed speaking at the same time as someone filling her face.

“I’m sorry,” Eren said, a slight hitch in his voice. “Go on, Mikasa.”

“Oh, um, I was just gonna ask what class are you supposed to be in.”

“That would-” Eren cut off and suddenly ducked down a hallway filled with lockers. He pressed his back up against them, though was careful not to hit Mikasa’s head.

“Is everything okay?” Mikasa asked, though kept her voice hushed.

Eren popped his head around the corner, Mikasa cranking to look as well. There was someone standing in the hallway, someone she recognized all too well.  Eren leaned back into the hallway when the dark haired teacher looked up.

“Levi Ackerman hates me,” Eren grumbled. “He’ll give me a detention again if he catches me out here.”

A smile twitched at Mikasa’s lips. “Could that be because you’re always late to his class to begin with?”

Eren looked down at her and she saw the gears turning in his head , trying to figure out how she knew. They never had Mr. Ackerman in class together.

“He’s my cousin.”

Eren looked confused for a moment, but he quickly seemed to connect the dots. “Well, I feel stupid. I guess I always assumed it was a common last name.” He peered out around the corner again. “Alright, coast is clear.” He stepped back out and started walking back down the hall, though a bit quicker this time.

“He doesn’t hate you,” Mikasa chuckled. “He actually likes you more than some of the kids.”

“If that’s like I really don’t wanna see what he does to those he hates.”

“You probably don’t.”

Eren laughed, echoing off the walls. He was always so bright, like a ball of sunlight, and he felt like it to; he was incredibly warm. That was probably a creepy observation to make but she couldn’t exactly help it. She was starting to feel herself be more relaxed well as relaxed as she could be with an aching foot and being carried down a hallway.

“Hey, um, can I ask you something?” He sounded a little bit hesitant and it instantly made Mikasa worry.

Did she do something? Oh, God, what if he knew she had a stupid crush on him. “Ah, yeah, of course.”

“How come you thought I didn’t know your name?”

The question caught her off guard. That was the last thing she would’ve thought he’d ask. “Oh, um, I dunno.” She fidgeted with her shirt again. “I guess cause you have a lot of friends, you’re always around people.” Mikasa didn’t want to come out and say cause you’re popular and I’m not, that sounded a little too cliché. “And I’m…well…”

“And you think you’re invisible, right?” He looked down at her that time but she could barely bring herself to meet his eyes.

“Ah, yeah. I guess you could put it that way.”

Eren looked back up to the hall, the nurse’s door in sight. “Well, you aren’t too me. Never have been. I knew you were shy, so I never wanted to make you feel uncomfortable by forcing you to talk to me but I always saw you.” He cleared his throat. “Remember the first time we met?”

“You throw a ball down the hall for someone to catch and hit me instead.” A smile pulled at her lips. It was horrifying at the time but she never forgot how he apologized to her a million times for the rest of the week.

“And I slipped chocolates in your lunch for the rest of the year.”

Mikasa looked up at him. “That was you?” She wasn’t sure but she thought she saw a tint of red to his cheeks.

“Yeah,” he laughed. “I felt so bad I had to do something. I wasn’t gonna do it that long but you looked so happy whenever you found it that I just kept going.”

She didn’t even know what to say. She always wondered how they got there, she just thought it was her mom; she never thought it would’ve imagined it was Eren. “Do you, um, remember when you got those guys to stop teasing me?”

“Course I do,” he said, like he could never forget. “I always kept an eye on them you know, in case they ever tried again but it seemed the first time was enough.”

“Probably because you broke one of their noses.”

“Hey, they started it. A week of detention was worth it.”

Mikasa watched his face, heard his genuine voice. He wasn’t humoring her or just playing nice, he actually meant it. She opened her mouth to tell him how much it meant to her, how it made her feel safe, how she never forgot either but Eren came to a stop.

“Okay, we’re here. Do you, um, mind?” He nodded to the door.

“Oh, yeah, of course.” She leaned over to twist the knob while Eren pushed the door open with his body.

There was a desk right when they walked in, bookshelves of medical books, and extra seats for people to wait, but Eren didn’t wait he just walked passed the entrance area to the doorway near the desk. The back area looked more like a hospital with beds, some curtains dividing areas, equipment, cabinets, it even smelled like a hospital. Mikasa saw the nurse cleaning something out on the sink.

“Hello, nurse, I’ve brought you the sick and wounded to take care of,” he announced.

Mikasa was going to glance up at him but the nurse turned around first and she caught the older woman’s eyes.

“Eren Jaeger,” she said with her hands on her hips, in a tone Mikasa figured he must’ve heard countless times. They looked so much a like the nurse had to be his mother. “What in God’s name did you do to this poor girl?”

“Nothing, Ma,” he said, carefully placing Mikasa down so she could sit on the examination table. “I merely found her and brought her here.”

“What a hero,” Mrs. Jaeger rolled her eyes. “Hello, dear,” she said turning to Mikasa and giving a smile that Eren must’ve gotten from his mom. “What’s your name?”

“Um, Mikasa Ackerman.”

“Oh!” Mrs. Jaeger exclaimed, turning on Eren again. “This is the girl you hit in the hallway, isn’t it? Are you finally making up for that?”

He held his hands up, though his face was looking a little red. “Hey, I told you I always tried to make up for that. What? Did you want me to just leave her out in the cold when she couldn’t walk?”

“I’m saying maybe you should’ve done this years ago.”

Eren grumbled something but Mikasa couldn’t really hear him. He just plopped down in one of the nearby chairs as his mom looked back to Mikasa with a smile.

“Your leg is hurt, yeah?”

“Yeah, I think,” Mikasa answered dropping her bag off to the side of the table.

“We’ll do a quick exam and then I’ll look at it, okay? See if I can handle it here or if we have to get you to the hospital. Eren, must you?”

Mikasa turned her head to see Eren leaning up against the exam table behind her.

“What?” he asked, like he was the perfect image of innocence.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Mrs. Jaeger crossed her arms. “Like, I dunno, class maybe?”

“Possibly, but I gotta stay, you know?”

She arched an eyebrow at him.

Eren rolled his eyes. “To make sure that Mikasa receives adequate medical attention, and assist her if she needs to go back to class or somewhere else, of course.”

“Uh-huh. Okay, fine.” Mrs. Jaeger pointed at him. “But you’re not just gonna sit there, go grab her file from my desk.”

“Got it,” he said, already heading towards the doorway.

Mrs. Jaeger sighed and turned back to Mikasa. “Don’t worry, dear, you’re in fine hands.”

“I’m sure,” she breathed, absent mindedly watching where Eren left the room.

“I didn’t mean me,” Mrs. Jaeger chuckled.

He came back in, waving the file in his hand at his mom before dropping it on the counter. He took his seat again and looked up to Mikasa who was still watching him. He gave her smile and Mikasa was pretty sure broken foot, sprained, twisted, whatever, this day was the best day she had a school in a long time. Well, if her face would stop heating up and making her look like a tomato that was.

Eren didn’t seem to notice or care too much though.  

_  
_


	2. Actors

_**martinthedragon** **:**  Request: an AU where Attack on Titan is a popular anime/TV show/film series/whatever, the characters are actors and they all go to a con and we see all the cool stuff they do. Panels, Q&A sessions, autograph sessions, hanging with cosplayers, the whole shebang._

* * *

Eren remembered being asked once if he knew what he was getting into accepting the role he did. His answer was simply, as an actor you take what’s offered and be thankful you can eat that week. It was meant to make the audience laugh but it was also the truth. When he was offered the lead in a high action movie he accepted the role with more than a little enthusiasm. He had absolutely no idea six years later he’d be done with three movies, and be the face of a huge franchise.

Okay, that part was still a little intimidating.

He stood off to the side of the stage, listening to his director talk about the series to a room packed with people. Eren tried to ignore the nerves bundled in his stomach, his hands fidgeting with his shirt. This wasn’t the first time he was a part of a panel at a con, he’d done it with is costars countless times. Hell, this wasn’t even the first time he was a part of a panel at Comic Con, but no matter what he always felt nervous before speaking to the people who loved the series as much as he did.

He felt a hand cover his, pulling it away from his shirt. It didn’t surprise him when he looked up to see Mikasa standing next to him looking about as calm as could be. He knew she was probably a little nervous too but she’d never let it show.

“Relax,” she said in that soothing voice he had gotten so used to over the years. It always made him feel lighter, safer. “They love you, there’s nothing to worry about.”

“No,” he said, leaning in slightly to her. “They love you.”

She rolled her eyes, but there was a small smile on her lips. “Not everyone loves me.”

Mikasa Ackerman was as talented as she was beautiful, and someone who could kick Eren’s ass on a daily basis if she wanted to but playing the lead female in an action series was a dangerous mix. She was either praised for her ability to play a feminine yet hard ass character or criticized for playing a character to was too perfect and not realistic which was absolutely ridiculous to Eren.

“I can take care of them. I always do.” He was careful to brush his lips against her cheek in a way that looked like he was just saying something in her ear.

“Yeah, and Levi said to stop getting into fights with the fans.”

“Okay, Levi is one to talk,” Eren snorted.

So Levi Ackerman might’ve been a little more tactful on not taking anyone’s shit but he had been doing this a lot longer than Eren, or most anyone in the cast. Levi, Erwin, and Hanji were all the resident veterans, the older actors who gave strength to the cast that was mostly made up of up and comers. Still, Levi never let anyone talk down to him or any of his other costars and most everyone was used to his hard answers and seemingly cold exterior.  Anyone who worked with him knew he wasn’t exactly what he seemed though probably no one more than Mikasa, who was his niece.

The audience started to scream and shout and Eren was tempted to peek out but he figured Erwin said something charming as always. Him, Levi, and Hanji were already out there, talking about…well, Eren didn’t know since he wasn’t paying much attention.

He felt an arm drape over his shoulder, a head wedging itself between his and Mikasa’s.

“Are you two even paying attention?” Armin said, an amused look on his face.

“Do you have to stick your nose in everything?” Eren said, reaching a hand up to push Armin’s face away.

“Yes,” Armin laughed making Eren feel a little more at ease.

Armin Arlert and Mikasa Ackerman, Eren never even heard their names until they met and suddenly it wasn’t just his character that had the two best friends he could ever ask for. It was easy to act on screen with them because to him, it was like he knew them since they were kids.

“I’m only giving you fair warning to not miss your call,” Armin said, gently hitting Eren and Mikasa’s heads together. “Both of you.”  

The director already started to call out names from the stage and sure enough Eren missed it completely. Reiner Braun, Bertholdt Fubar and Historia Reiss were already on the stage, Ymir making her entrance to a clapping and whistling crowd; no doubt she was schmoozing the hell out of them too. Annie Leonhart was being called next, her blonde hair bouncing as she stepped up onto the stage.

Connie Springer and Sasha Braus got called up together mainly because they were inseparable. They bonded as quickly as Eren did with Armin and Mikasa, and Eren was fairly certain even off set he never saw them apart. Granted, Eren was always in the company of Mikasa and Armin too.

Her hand bumped into Eren’s and he quickly grabbed it, lacing his fingers with hers. Armin still has his arms around the both of them, a chuckle falling from his lips. He was probably the least surprised when he found out Eren feelings for his beautiful costar. Well, he was pretty sure no one who knew was all that surprised.

Marco Boldt hurried up the steps to the stage next. The black haired boy with big dimples was always still welcomed as a part of the cast even though his character died in the first movie. He was a fan favorite though and always got a huge reception when he came out.

“Nervous yet, kids?” Jean said, leaning over to them.

“Don’t be an arrogant ass,” Eren snorted. “Kids? We’re the same age.”

“I’m actually a month older than you.”

“You’re so petty.”

“So pretty? Aw, thanks, Jaeger, I’ll be sure to tell your girlfriend.”

“Jean, go on,” Mikasa said, gently pushing on his shoulder to follow on as his name was called.

Jean winked at them as he walked backwards to the stage. Eren felt the need to flick him off and Jean did return the gesture. Their relationship was fairly similar to their characters; as competitive people they constantly butted heads but neither actually hated the other. Jean was fun to be around, mainly because he was the resident prankster.

“Ready?” Armin squeezed their shoulders.

Mikasa said, “Yes”, at the same time Eren said, “No”.

Armin laughed, and patted them both on the back before stepping up onto the stage, plenty of girls screaming for him.

“It’s the blond hair and blue eyes thing, I swear,” Eren said, turning to face Mikasa. He was gonna say something else but she leaned in to kiss him before he could. Not that he minded.

“It’ll be fine,” she said, giving his hand a squeeze.

He kissed her again, his hand reaching up to brush her cheek but as soon as he name was called she was on her way up to the stage leaving just Eren. He took a deep breath and tried to calm his racing heart; that admittedly had less to do with nerves and more to do with the way she kissed him.

“Then last, but certainly not least,” he heard his director say from the stage. “Eren Jaeger.”

The bright lights were nearly blinding as he walked up onto the stage, thankfully it was something he got used to and didn’t even blink as he waved out to the screaming crowed, the huge room as packed as he expected. The rest of his costars were still standing as he walked behind them, to take his spot in the center in between Mikasa and Armin.

“Well, you heard us talk enough,” Erwin said when the rest of the cast sat down at the table lined with chairs and microphones. “Why don’t we take some questions now that we have everyone here? Sound good?”

Eren nearly rolled his eyes at Erwin’s dazzling smile. They’d tease him that he’d stand in the mirror practicing his smile until it reached the heart melting level it was. He never denied it.

“I have a question for Reiner and Bertholdt,” a male audience member said into the mic down on the floor but Eren couldn’t actually see who it was. “Did you always know your characters would turn on everyone?”

“Yeah, actually,” Reiner said, leaning down into the mic on the table. “Me, Bert, and Annie too all knew from day one what our characters would do. It was so we could play them appropriately in the early scenes before anyone knew.”

“We didn’t know though,” Jean added. “They kept all that from us so that the surprise would be genuine.”

“That’s not completely true.” Armin leaned over to look at Jean. “I knew about Annie before anyone. I was told shortly after the second movie started production so I could know to put the pieces together in my scenes.”

“And you never spilled? Wow, Ar, I’m a little impressed.”

“That’s because not everyone has a big mouth like you, Jean,” Marco snorted from next to him and getting a loud laugh from the audience.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Jean turned to face Marco. “Aren’t you, you know, dead?”

The crowd booed but Marco only laughed; he was always a good sport about it.

“Alright, alright,” Levi said in that typical gruff voice of his. “Back on track.” He gestured down to the floor where the mic was.

“Um,” a new voice echoed. “Is there anyone who knows how the story ends then? And who is most like and least like their character?”

“Good question,” Ymir said, though that smug ass look on her face clearly told everyone who knew the most. “I know just about everything in the story.”

“Only cause she threatened the writers until they told her,” Historia said, eyes amused while she looked to Ymir.

“I don’t appreciate the light you’re painting me in, Blondie.” Ymir reached over to rub Historia’s head who promptly laughed and swatted at Ymir’s hands. “They told me into filming the first movie since my character has a lot of secrets, she knows way more than she’d ever let on. I’d venture to say she does know everything, so they did tell me everything so I could play her appropriately.”

“And trust me,” Sasha said, rolling her eyes. “She tells us all the time that she knows more than us.”

“I’m only stating the truth.”

“I got the answer for whose most like their character,” Marco said, his eyes gleaming a little as he looked down the table.

Levi seemed to know it was coming cause he leaned into his mic. “I suggest you change your answer, Bolt.”

“Need I say more?”

The audience laughed and clapped.

“Really though,” Sasha said. “Levi is so much like his character it’s a little ridiculous.”

“As his niece,” Mikasa said, her voice so close to Eren and so welcome to his ears that he had to bite back the stupid smile he knew that would show up on his lips. “I can fully attest to this.”

“You kids are in for it,” Levi grunted, making Hanji next to him laugh.

“As for the person least like their character,” Erwin cut in, probably to get Levi not to make any more comments. “That’s probably Annie. I had no idea she was even capable of playing her character after meeting her.”

Annie shrugged though she was smiling. “I was drawn to the character because of all the layers that make her up. Nothing is clean cut, and nothing is as it seems. There’s so much going on inside her even though she rarely ever lets it show so I do the same for her.”

“It also makes Annie the second best prankster on set,” Armin said.

Eren leaned forward to his mic. “Trust me, Armin would know. Annie picks on him because he’s the most gullible one here. Oh, don’t look at me like that, buddy, you know it’s true.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

That made the crowd laugh, probably because they all already heard stories of the pranks that Armin got stuck as the punching bag for. He was always a good sport about it though; rarely anything ever bothered Armin.

“Next question,” the director prompted.

“Sasha?” the audience member asked. “What’s your favorite food?”

Sasha blinked for a moment. “Oh, um…” It was clear she was trying to process the question before it clicked. “Oh, wait a second. Is this because of that stupid potato thing?”

Connie seemed to think that was the funniest thing he heard all day because he couldn’t stop laughing, well, until Sasha elbowed him in the gut.

“I never got why everyone always got stuck on that,” she said with a roll of her eyes, but her smile was light letting them know she wasn’t actually angry. “I don’t even like potatoes believe it or not but food I do like. So of course I’ll answer. My favorite food is the tried and true lasagna.”

“Jaeger, I think you owe me some money,” Jean said, his eyes looking down to Eren.

“Bull, you said pasta. Lasagna doesn’t count.”

“Lasagna is pasta.”

“No, it isn’t. Pasta is pasta.”

“Wow, how articulate of you.”

“Hold up!” Sasha cut in. “Did you two bet on what kinda food I liked?”

“For months now,” Mikasa said. “Didn’t you wonder why they kept trying to ask you and see what food you were eating?”

“No, I just thought they were weird.”

The crowd laughed.

“As you can tell,” Hanji said, looking out over the crowd. “Despite the nature of the movies, everyone has a lot of fun on set.”

“Too much fun if you ask me,” Levi said.

“And that’s why no one did, killjoy.”

“For Levi and Hanji,” a new voice said. “I know the both of you have worked together on movies before. What’s it like being back together? And on the same note, what’s it like for you, Mikasa to work with your uncle?”

“I love working with Levi,” Hanji said, that usual smile on her face.

Eren was beyond nervous his first day on set. Not only was he staring in a movie, but he was gonna be opposite three people who had extensive acting history, and well known established stars. Hanji was the first one to reach out to Eren, and always treated him like a person and not a newbie. Her and Erwin were like the mom and dad of the set, and Levi like the grumpy uncle. All three showed Eren so much though. They were all good mentors, Levi included; well, probably until he found out Eren was seeing Mikasa. That wasn’t something Eren exactly looked forward to.

“Levi’s a brilliant actor who seems like he does the bare minimum but in reality he works really hard to achieve the quality acting you always see from him. He lands every single line and nails every role with such grace and ease that it’s an honor to work with him and to be his friend,” Hanji continued.

Levi leaned a little bit forward, his arms across his chest. “Hanji’s alright I guess.”

She shoved him in the shoulder but Levi let one of those rare smiles slip making the crowd start to cheer. “Go ahead, Mikasa,” Hanji said, still rolling her eyes at Levi. “Tell us what it’s like working with this guy.”

“It was, um, strange at first,” Mikasa said. She was one of the quietest of the cast, choosing to agree with costars as opposed to add in. Eren dropped his hands into his lap, letting on fall onto her leg to let her know it was okay. Everyone here wanted to hear what she had to say. “I grew up with him as my uncle, not an actor. I didn’t even really understand how people saw him until I was older and into acting myself. He’s very professional, but he always looked out for me and all of us really making sure we were doing okay, making sure we didn’t need any help. Of course…” She smiled. “That was in his own way, which sometimes seems rough but he always has mine and everyone’s best interests at heart.”

“You brats are ruining my reputation,” Levi grunted though it only made the audience laugh; seems like his reputation was ruined long ago. Not that Eren would ever bring that up. Ever.

“What was your favorite heartbreaker scene was,” a guest asked, and the crowd cheered in agreement.

“Eren, why don’t you start this one,” the director said nodding over to him.

“Oh, um, that’s a tough one.” Eren thought for a moment; it wasn’t like this series didn’t have its fair share of heartache. “I wasn’t in the scene but probably when my character’s mother dies. The kids that played me and Mikasa’s younger versions absolutely killed that scene. It was heart wrenching to watch.”

“He might’ve cried in the theater,” Armin said.

“Yes, I might’ve. I bear no shame on that fact,” Eren said. “What about you then?”

“Oh, when that one…” Armin pointed to Mikasa. “Hears your heartbeat after her character thought you were dead. Thankfully I had to be emotional in the scene to begin with cause I wouldn’t have been able to keep it together anyways. You two kill me.”

“I’ll take it as a compliment,” Eren snorted before he turned to Mikasa. “You got one, Mik?”

She nodded. “Yeah, in the most recent movie when she wakes up after your character gets kidnapped.”

“Again,” Jean added but Mikasa must’ve kicked him under the table of something because he was quiet after that.

“It’s such an emotional moment for her,” Mikasa continued. “That here’s this boy that she’d do anything to protect because he means that much to her and no matter what she does he keeps getting taken from her. She just kinda breaks down for a moment, because the one thing she wants is the one thing she can’t seem to get. I think it’s such a beautiful moment for her, but it also broke my heart to see her like that, you know?”

Eren wanted to say it was because she was so beautiful, that only she could bring out that emotion but he had a feeling it might be a little too much.

“Would you guys say you’re all close?” The question echoed in the room.

“It’s funny how that works out,” Connie said. “Like I’m probably closest to Sasha and Jean cause we’re always together, and Mikasa, Eren, and Armin are always inseparable because they do almost every scene together.”

“Yeah, same with me, Bertholdt, Ymir, and Historia,” Reiner added. “We’re all friends, but like the characters relationships, ours are kinda the same because sometimes we won’t even see the other groups for weeks. Like when we were investigating the walls, it was just us on set for so long without the others.”

“Well, we’re a bit split up now,” Ymir said, making the crowed cry out.

“And we’re gonna get split up even more,” Historia said. “The next movie deals with a few smaller groups and some desperate situations.”

That got that got the crowd going and the director had to step in to calm them down. Eren was smiling a long but the thought of the next movie made his heart clench a bit. He already knew he wasn’t gonna be filming with anyone but Historia for a good majority of it. Not that he didn’t like her, but he was so used to always being with Mikasa, and with Armin it was gonna be a hard change for him.

“How about something happy?” someone in the audience said. “Who makes faces behind the scenes when the camera is rolling? And who has the record for most outtakes?”

Marco laughed aloud. “Armin. Armin makes faces all the time if he isn’t filming and if he gets caught he acts like he did nothing.”

“I’m so offended you’d say that, Marco,” Armin said, but he was laughing. He couldn’t tell a lie if he wanted to.

“That one got me good one time,” Bertholdt said, pointing down to Armin. “We were filming the scene when we see Eren’s character fall from the Titan body and it’s supposed to be this big surprise, very serious. Then there’s Armin making these stupid faces and I accidentally looked at him. I completely lost it. We had to take a break because I couldn’t stop laughing.”

“I remember that,” Armin laughed along with the audience. “It was the greatest day of my life, making the quiet, dutiful Bertholdt lose it on set.”

Reiner clapped Bertholdt on the back. “One doesn’t compare to the kings of the outtakes though.”

Marco reached over to grab Jean’s hand, raising it up above his head while Armin furiously pointed at Eren, the audience laughing and clapping along.

“I’m not  _that_ bad,” Jean said, though the look on his face said he knew very well he was that bad.

“Jean, we had to do the fight scene in the training flashbacks like ten times because you kept messing up your lines,” Eren snorted.

“Then you kept laughing and not helping at all.”

“I know what I am.”

“Not to mention he kept making faces at me when he was supposed to be somber after the ride back from the forest,” Mikasa said, a small smile on her lips.

“And Eren is king of breaking all the 3D Gear too,” Connie snorted.

“Then there was that one line you couldn’t get right to save your life,” Ymir said. “When you were fighting Annie. You just kept messing it up.”

“It’s not like I enjoyed getting my ass handed to me by Annie,” Eren said. “How is that my fault?”

“Cause it was your line,” Jean said.

“You have no right to talk Mr. Wait What’s My Line?”

Jean opened his mouth to snap something but a loud laugh from Sasha cut him off.

“Oh my God, I have the best one,” she said, a devious look in her eyes. “You know that part in the last movie when Eren and Mikasa’s characters are about to get eaten, you know out in the field.”

Eren’s heart sank. He knew where this story was going, and it really wasn’t something he wanted the world to hear. “Sasha, that’s okay. No one wants to hear that story,” he said, trying to laugh but it came out a little choked.

“The audience disagrees, my friend.” Well, she wasn’t wrong, they were cheering her on. “So you guys know how Mikasa’s character thinks they’re gonna die so she basically tells him how she feels, and leans in to kiss him and he stands up and fights off the Titans. Great scene right?”

The crowd cheered and Eren looked over to Mikasa who was already red cheeked. “Sasha, c’mon,” he groaned.

“Well, on the set, whether he just kept getting caught up in the moment or hell, just wanted to, instead of standing up like he should he just kept kissing Mikasa instead.”

The crowd shouted and cat called, and Eren was pretty sure he never quite wanted to be off display like he did right now.

“I had to act half dead for like an hour because he kept doing it,” Jean said, rolling his eyes.

“Stop it,” Armin said. “It was cute, they’re cute. Am I wrong?”

The crowded cheered its agreement.

“I beg to differ,” Levi looked down the table and making Eren cringe.

“Oh stop,” Hanji laughed, slapping Levi on the back and making him look more grumpy than usual. “They’re kids. I could share some stories of when you first started acting too don’t forget.”

The crowd shouted, obviously wanting to hear those stories. Hanji probably wouldn’t survive the day if she spilled.

Eren knew his face was red, he felt the heat in his cheeks. That wasn’t exactly how he wanted all of this to come out. He glanced over at Mikasa to make sure she was okay and he was surprised to see her laughing along with Armin.

“So, um, does that mean you and Mikasa are actually a thing?” a small voice from the audience ask.

“Ah, uh.” Eren wasn’t sure exactly what he should say. The truth was yes, for a year now, absolutely but they always wanted this out of the public eye, even though he was pretty sure a lot of people assumed. He felt a hand on his arm, and he turned to look at Mikasa. She was still smiling, and she nodded towards the audience. Well, he guessed that was that. If it was okay with her, it was okay with him.

Eren leaned forward to the mic. “Have you seen how amazing and beautiful she is? I’d be an idiot not to fall in love with her.”

The crowd went up in cheers, shouts, and clapping, obviously approving of the idea. He leaned back in his chair and turned to Mikasa who was already watching him. He held out his hand and she promptly took it, lacing her fingers with his.

“Oh thank God,” Armin said into the mic. “Now I don’t have to go out with them all the time to make it look less suspicious.”

“Are you saying you don’t like our company, buddy?” Eren said, hitting Armin’s shoulder.

Armin snorted in response as the director tried to calm the audience down again.

Fame wasn’t easy, especially such sudden fame Eren and his other costars found. Some days he hated it, some days he loved it, some days it made his stomach turn with nerves. These times though, Mikasa’s warm hand in his, Armin making some snide joke to Eren, Marco laughing at something stupid Jean said, Ymir’s voice cutting through the noise with Historia trying to get her to stop before they all got kicked out, Connie knocking over his water, Sasha doing nothing to help but laugh, Bertholt saying something unheard that made Reiner and Annie lose it, Erwin chuckling along with the kids, and Hanji still trying to tell Levi’s stories with Levi making halfhearted threats, these times were what made it worth it all. This was his family, for better or worse.


	3. Assassin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This AU has a bigger story that tells more the history of the world. It's in A Thousand More, Chapter 7, I'm Worn By the War in Me.

_**Anonymous:**  eremika, assassin au!_

* * *

Eren had been on plenty of missions before, that was nothing new. They generally kept him the shadows, fighting in close combat if needed but he was specialized in taking down people before they even knew he was standing there while his partner handled getting in and out for their target without ever being seen, whether it be ranged or standing right in front of them. The both of them were always trained never to be heard or seen until the mission was done. Well, his partner was still a little bit better at it than Eren (he swore she was a ninja in a past life or something), they still were one of the organizations top stealth teams sent on some of the most difficult and most top secret missions.

Which is why for the life of him Eren couldn’t figure out why Commander Smith had decided the best team for an undercover job was Eren and Mikasa. There were plenty of people who were trained for undercover assassinations, and yeah, sure, Eren and Mikasa had been trained in it at one point or another, it wasn’t what they were specialized in. Eren tried to fight the orders but one glare from Levi shut Eren up pretty fast so he found himself standing on the side of the street outside an apartment complex, dressed in some casual clothes and waiting for his partner to come out. She was placed there, of course, in a dummy apartment that would leave no traces back to her. It was about a month in set up of her living there and him coming to visit so nothing would seem out of the normal but to Eren, nothing felt normal.

“Your heart rate is spiking,” a familiar voice spoke in Eren’s ear. “Nervous for once?”

“Don’t you have better things to do than harass me when I’m working,” Eren muttered knowing the microphone hidden on him would pick it up just fine.

“No, it’s my job to monitor when you’re working and by doing my job I’m seeing your heart rate is spiking.”

“I’m not nervous. We aren’t even going to the mark tonight it’s just more undercover.” Eren was thankful for the years of practice not looking out of place talking to himself.

“That’s what I mean. The actual mark probably doesn’t make you nervous, it’s the act that does.”

“Armin, enough.” Eren’s tech and his best friend from a young age, was sounding far too smug for Eren’s liking. Thankfully, his ear was quiet from then on, but he could almost see the blonde’s grinning face back at base.

“There you are! Why didn’t you come in?”

Eren looked up towards the main door of the apartment to see Mikasa making her way towards him. This time Eren’s heart really did skip, and he hoped Armin would keep his damn mouth shut. It wasn’t how she usually looked; she was dressed very feminine in a spring dress and shawl. It was so different than the black gear she wore on the field or the simple casual clothes she wore when she was off duty around their small base apartment they shared with Armin.  

It always made him think that it was probably how she would dress should she not have followed him into this life. She had a wide smile on her lips which was still different than her more subtle expressions he was used to but it didn’t make her any less gorgeous in his eyes.

“I wanted to surprise you,” Eren smiled back pushing himself off the side of the building.

She crossed her arms against her chest but she still looked amused. “By standing outside my apartment until I realized you were here?”

“Maybe,” Eren shrugged, making his way over to her.

“You really need to work on your flirting,” Armin’s voice spoke.

Eren ignored him; instead Eren leaned in to press his lips to Mikasa’s.

She ran her hand over his cheek as he pulled away, her eyes bright before she turned to take his hand. “So what do you have in store for us today?” she asked, lacing her fingers with his as they started to walk down the sidewalk.

Eren had to catch his breath before he answered her. “I thought we’d go out to eat first,” he said, which really meant “We’re observing our mark in a restaurant today”.

“Okay,” Mikasa nodded, fully understanding what he meant without it having to be said; they had been together for a very long with. That was the reason Commander Smith had picked them after all.

“I need a couple,” is what he had said when Eren nearly fell over at the meeting to assign them undercover.

“There are plenty of couples! Like Connie and Sasha who I’m pretty sure are actually a couple,” Eren exclaimed, Mikasa standing silently next to him. “Hell, you could probably even get Jean and Marco to do it if you wanted some diversity.”

“Jaeger, shut up,” Levi said from his spot next to Erwin’s desk. “You’re taking the damn mission.”

Eren must’ve looked like he was going to fight it because Commander Smith raised a hand.

“We chose you two for a very specific reason, Eren,” he said. “Not only is this mark a sensitive one that needs the level of professionalism that both you and Mikasa provide, but the undercover aspect of it needs to come off flawless. I don’t think there’s anyone else here who has been working together and has known each other as long as the both of you have. You two are very natural together, and your undercover identities need to come off that way as well.”

And that was that; Levi didn’t even let Eren get another word in. It wasn’t that Eren didn’t like working undercover, and it was definitely not because he didn’t like working with Mikasa but this, this was asking a lot of him.

“Where do you want to eat?” Mikasa asked, bumping her shoulder into his as they walked.

“I was thinking the French place down on the corner.”

“Perfect, I’ve been dying to eat there.”

“Anything for you, babe.” He nearly broke his character seeing the way her nose wrinkled just a bit. Yeah, the pet names were kinda weird, especially when he only ever called her by her name or by his nickname for her but all that was obviously not allowed. He nudged her with his shoulder, as if to say “Blame Erwin for that one.”

Eren couldn’t resist a grin down at her as she turned her eyes out in front. To anyone else it would look like she was just watching where they were going but Eren very well know she was scouting the area for anything unusual.

God, it was just so unfair he had to play act with Mikasa like this, when it was the one thing he wanted to be real. He wasn’t sure when he fell in love with her, but he did. How could he not? Mikasa was immensely beautiful, and was the strongest person he knew plus she knew him better than he even knew himself. She knew the worst things he had done, and she still stood by his side.

It was easy to push it aside when they were working; they had more important things to be worried about but here, when he was being forced to pretend being in a relationship with her…it was a horrible mix of warmth in his chest and a hard pang in his stomach.

“Eren?”

He jolted himself out of his thoughts to see Mikasa looking up at him, a worried expression on her face. He had to smile, that wasn’t undercover girlfriend no that was Mikasa; he had seen that look countless times. “I’m sorry, I zoned out. What’s up?”

“The restaurant is right over there,” she said, tugging him along the right path. “You almost missed the street.”

“I’d be lost without you,” he said, though when it slipped out he knew that wasn’t his undercover persona that was him.

Mikasa must have noticed something was off, because she gave him a strange look, like she was a little surprised; before she could comment though he pulled her into the restaurant. He saw their future mark sitting in the corner enjoying some crepes. Right on time.

“Hello!” The hostess greeted. “Table for two?”

“Yes please,” Eren said draping his arm over Mikasa’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple.

She swatted at him but laughed; it nearly made Eren freeze. He had been undercover with her many times before and he knew when she was acting and when she wasn’t. That laugh, that was her.

For a moment, he wanted to think maybe he wasn’t alone in how all of this was making him feel but as the hostess sat them down at a table with a good view of the mark, Eren had to remember why he was here. He had to remember that one slip up could cost their lives; he could lose her in an instant, she could lose him even quicker. How could he tell how he felt knowing how much more it would hurt if she lost him? No, their lives were too dangerous; he refused to let himself allow it.

Yet as he looked over at her while she read her menu, brushing some of her hair behind her ear, he could at least pretend for a little bit longer.


	4. Assassin II

_**Anonymous:**  I really need the sequel to your recent Eremika + assassin au_

* * *

 

The mark was attending a ball, one of those large, regal balls for really rich and powerful people. Attending that ball was what Eren and Mikasa had been working for on their months of being undercover; it was the whole reason they needed to be undercover as a couple. They needed to attend this ball together without raising any flags. It was to the point where Levi made Eren take ballroom dancing lessons from Petra. Normally Eren wouldn’t have minded so much, but taking dancing lessons from a fellow assassin meant getting physically hurt every time you might’ve accidentally stepped on her feet; Petra was small but she could pack a punch.

So Eren stood in front of the tall mirror in Mikasa’s “apartment” dressed in the best the department could afford (which was a lot, Eren was pretty sure this suit cause more than his car), and waiting for Mikasa to finish getting dressed. He reached up to adjust his deep red  tie, one he was told matched Mikasa’s dress, as he tried not to move too much. The black suit was comfortable enough but he wasn’t exactly used to dressing in black that wasn’t easy to scale a wall in. Not to mention this place was gonna be on lock down so they had to get creative to be able to finish the job.

Armin would be leading them through their earpieces but Eren hadn’t quite put his in yet, probably much to Armin’s annoyance but Eren really wasn’t in the mood for his best friend’s lip tonight. It was bad enough he was still pretending to date a girl he was in love with and now they had to go to this big fancy ball and had to pull off being a couple in front of people who’d be watching them.

Eren sighed as he sat down on the arm of the couch. Erwin had wasted no dime making the apartment look like Mikasa wasn’t anything less than a heiress, when in reality she was just a poor orphan like Eren was.

“Liam?”

It was always strange not hearing his name from her lips, but they had no idea if this place was bugged or not, so they always had to be in their covers; luckily for anyone watching, Mikasa almost always shared a bed with him since they were kids. So at least sleeping was normal.

“Is something wrong?” he called back to her bedroom.

“Not really.”

“You sound hesitant, Kat, what’s up?” More like Mikasa herself sounded hesitant, he could easily tell that wasn’t an act.

“I’ve just ever worn this dress before.” Meaning, “I’ve never worn a dress this fancy before”.

“Katarina,” he said, though if his undercover name on her lips was weird, this one on his was even stranger. “I’m sure you look beautiful, please come out her so I can tell you that to your face.”

It was silent but he could hear a little rustling. Eren was about to call to her again when he saw her step out from the hall and into the main room. Mikasa was always beautiful to him, but seeing her in a dress and jewelry that he knew she always secretly desired took his breath away. Her hair which was normally kept short had been growing out so it was done in an up do, a few black ringlets framing her face and a jeweled comb sparkling in her hair. Her dress left her neck and shoulders open, with just thin strips of a sleeve draped over her upper arms; the dress itself was floor length, jewels in line lines down the skirt where they met at the bottom where more lined the base of the skirt. It fit her slender, though Eren knew her muscular, form till going out just slightly at the hips where the skirt started. Eren didn’t even know how to tell her how beautiful she looked; he couldn’t even speak.

“Liam,” she whined, though he could see her cheeks getting red. “Well?”

“You look stunning,” he breathed. God, how much he wanted to say her name, to let Mikasa know how gorgeous she looked tonight.

She didn’t even try to bite back her smile. Mikasa quickly walked the distance between them, making Eren stand up when she stood in front of him. She reached out to grab his lapels and straightened them, smoothing her hand against his tie. “Well, you,” she murmured, looking up to meet his eyes. “Look incredibly handsome.”

“Handsome enough to get a dance before we leave?” That hadn’t quite been a part of the plans but she was standing in front of him and all he wanted to do was take her in his arms before they had to put on a show for the rest of the room. Right now it could be just them, just him and Mikasa.

“How could I ever say no?”

Eren leaned over to the coffee table, pressing the remote for the stereo to start up. He was just glad he left in an appropriate station on from when Petra was teaching him. The instrumental music started and Eren held his hands out to Mikasa; she placed one of her hands in his and the other on his shoulder while his hand moved to her lower back, holding her close.

The steps were practiced and precise, but there was something different about Mikasa being the one he was holding (he was also thankful Petra punched him every time he stepped on her feet because he knew from previous experienced Mikasa punched harder).

Mikasa sighed, carefully resting her head against his. “Thank you,” she sighed.

“For what?”

“For doing this with me.” It was worded so if anyone overheard they would assume going to the ball, but Eren knew she meant for being the one to do this mission with her.

“Always for you,” he murmured.

Mikasa pulled away from him slightly, to look him the eyes, that gorgeous smile on her face. Eren couldn’t resist the way his head was tilting towards her, his lips brushing over hers. Sure he had to kiss her before for show, but never like this; not the way he felt her breath catch, the way her hands grasped onto him only for Eren to realize he was holding her the same way. He nearly groaned when she kissed him back.

The phone buzzing in his pocket nearly had the both of them jumping out of their skins. Mikasa was reaching up with shaky hands to fuss at her hair while Eren angrily pulled the phone out of his pants pocket.

_How long to I have to wait here for you two? Hurry it up._ The text read which Eren recognized to be Jean’s burner cell number.

“Time to go?” Mikasa asked, though her voice was a bit softer.

“Yeah, our driver is gonna have a heart attack if we make him late.” Eren shoved his phone back in his pocket and pulled out the small earpiece, shoving it far down in his ear; he had gotten used to doing it while still making it look very natural. Eren heard Armin chuckling already but Eren was not going to give him any satisfaction of acknowledgement.

Eren reached over to the chair to grab Mikasa’s jacket and drape it over her shoulders. He cleared his throat and held out his arm, trying not to feel completely embarrassed about what just happened (and wished his heart would stop racing over it). “Ready to go, Kat?”

She took his arm and placed her hand over his forearm. “Of course.”

He started to lead her out of the apartment, wondering just what the hell was going through her mind. Was she disgusted? Did she hate him? Why did she kiss him back if that was the case? He had to push it aside though; they had a job, his head needed to be clear.

Mikasa gave his arm a squeeze causing him to look down at her. Her bright eyes and reassuring smile was enough to make him feel at ease all over again (not to mention make him melt).


	5. Assassins III

_**Anonymous:**  How about a continuation of your eremika, assassin au?? <3_

* * *

It wasn’t the deed itself that required the most careful planning, it was the retreat. Once the mark was taken care of it took very tactful actions to ensure no one got suspicious. Only one of them could take care of the mark so the other could stay at the ball and make an excuse as to why the other one was missing. Since Eren was a bit more mobile in his suit he was the one to handle the job. He joined Mikasa again and continued out the rest of the ball till it was time to leave, the body still not found which is what he had wanted. Excusing themselves to take a night stroll around the block, no one thought anything suspicious which is again what they had wanted. The stroll took them directly to Jean waiting in the car and neither Eren nor Mikasa breathed a sigh of relief until the door was closed and Jean was driving.

“Good job, guys,” Armin’s voice buzzed in Eren’s ear. “I’ll be waiting for you when you get back to base.”

Eren pulled the headpiece from his ear and tossed it in one of the bags that was waiting for them in the back seat. “Where’re we headed to?”

“A secure location to get you to the jet that’ll take you back to base,” Jean answered turning down a side road. “Levi’s on the jet waiting for you should anything go wrong.”

“Have they found the body yet?” Mikasa asked as she took off her jewelry placing it in a bag.

“From all my sources no. Finally did a good job for once, Jaeger.”

“Shove it, Jean, I always do a good job.” Eren was shrugging off his jacket, trying to get everything off as quickly as he could. He knew the drill; Jean would take the bags full of everything they were wearing and make sure no one found it so they couldn’t be linked back. It would be like they were never there.

“Duffle bags of clothes are by your feet. Hurry it up.” Jean flipped the switch on the dashboard making the divider between the front and back seat go up to give them a bit more privacy per procedure.

“Can you…?” Mikasa had her back turned towards him signaling she wanted him to zip down her dress.

“Yeah.” He pulled down the zipper carefully as to not break the dress, or have his hand touch any of her bare skin. He hadn’t forgotten about what happened in the apartment, and he still had no idea what to do about it or what she even thought about it all. Now really wasn’t the time to bring it up though. Granted, Eren didn’t know if there was ever a time to bring it up.

Mikasa reached into her bag to pull out a bra and Eren promptly looked away, continuing to rid himself of his vest, tie, and shirt. Once his pants and shoes were off he pulled his own pre-packed outfit out of the bag. It was pretty casual clothing but all dark colors, nothing special to draw any attention. Mikasa was already dressed and pulling her hair out of the updo when he pulled his shirt on.

They had a moment of peace without Jean’s eyes on them. Eren could ask her, he could see how she felt about it but he instead knocked on the divider, letting Jean know they were set. Eren didn’t know if he could bear to know if he made a huge mistake in kissing her. Maybe it was better just left unsaid.

Jean had the divider rolled down once more.  “No one’s been following us but I did get a report from Sash whose still at the ball they did find the body. She’s trying to gather more information and she’ll send it directly to Armin from here on out.”

“Got it,” Eren said glancing over to Mikasa. She was looking out the window probably trying to see if anyone spotted the car.

He had gotten pretty familiar with the city over the months but he didn’t think he ever noticed an air field before. Normally they traveled by train to another location but apparently the city had an undisclosed airfield nearby that was perfect for their jet. Eren didn’t pretend like he knew how all the logistics of it worked. He thought the jet was under a cover name and business so they could fly without suspicion but all he did was carry out missions, not worry about those kinds things.

Jean pulled into the air field with no issues from the staff and led them right up to the stairs in front of the ever familiar jet.  Eren was pretty sure it was because Erwin got them the clearance already to do so.

“Alright, I’ll handle what’s left in the bags. See you guys back at base,” Jean said as he put the car in park.

Mikasa waved her goodbyes as Eren followed her out of the car. They were quiet as they walked up the steps and into the jet, mainly so no one overheard something they shouldn’t. An attendant nodded to them as they stepped in and shut the door, sealing it behind them.

“Mr. Ackerman is waiting for you in the main area,” she nodded to them and gestured to that direction. “We’ll be taking off shortly so please take your seats.”

Eren nodded and motioned for Mikasa to go before him as they walked through the jet to get to where their seats were and to see their superior. It was always strange hearing Levi as being called “Mr. Ackerman”. Levi was always just Levi from the day he found Eren, Mikasa, and Armin on the streets.

“I take it everything went smooth,” Levi said, sipping at his tea from one of the seats by the window.

“Everything went fine,” Mikasa answered, taking her seat across from him and Eren sitting down next to her.

“Good. I’ll need a report from both of you when we get to base.”

Well, that wasn’t a surprise. Work first and work later it always was with Levi.  The jet started to move, signaling it was getting ready for takeoff. Eren did up his seatbelt before the attendant came by to scold him like usual. “Yes, Sir,” Eren said, leaning his head back against the seat. He didn’t even know how exhausted he was until he had a moment to breathe.

“But as promised,” Levi said, placing his tea down on the small table next to his seat. “Because it was such a long mission you both have a week off unless we need you. Go on vacation or sleep all day or some shit. I really don’t care.”

Sleep sounded like a very good prospect actually. What he wouldn’t give to sleep in his own bed again, be in his own apartment with just Mikasa and Armin, no code names, no act, just his friends.

“Thank you, Sir,” Mikasa nodded leaning back in her own seat.

Eren wondered if she was as tired as he was. Mikasa was a powerhouse when it came to that kinda stuff. She was always the one who could do the all night stake outs where Eren tended to fall asleep half way through. Even there on the plane in front of Levi, Eren felt himself nodding off to the low hum of the jet.

When he opened his eyes he wasn’t even sure how long he was out, but the lights were dimmed and all the windows were closed. He went to stretch his hands over his head but the pressure on his shoulder told him Mikasa had laid her head against him. He didn’t have to look down to know it was her presence curled up next to him.

Levi was gone from the seat across from them but where Eren had no idea. He leaned his head down against Mikasa’s with every intention of falling back asleep until someone came to wake them up. He always slept better when she was by his side anyway. Armin joked that they didn’t really need a three bedroom apartment when one room was almost always unused. God, Eren couldn’t wait to have a little break when they got to base.

“Did you mean it?”

Eren nearly jumped at the sound of her voice; he thought she was sound asleep. “Mean what?”

She was quiet for a moment and Eren wondered if she was talking in her sleep. Not that she ever did before but he never knew. “When you kissed me, before we left for the ball. Did you mean it? Or was it part of the act?”

He was pretty good at reading her, he knew her since they were kids after all but her voice when she asked him. He had no idea what she wanted him to say, Eren didn’t even know what he wanted to say. The truth, he told himself. Mikasa was his best friend, she deserved the truth.

“I meant it.” The words barely came out, but they were there. He meant every moment of it and he’d do it again given the chance.

She was quiet again and he wasn’t sure if that wasn’t what she wanted to hear or if she just fell asleep. “I hoped you did,” she said in a soft tone.

It wasn’t much but it set Eren’s mind at ease. It was an acceptance, it was an acknowledgement, it was reciprocation of feelings but most of all it was a start. They didn’t lead easy lives, and they wouldn’t get easier. Eren had no idea where this would take them or if it was the right thing to do but it was a start. A start was all he needed.

 


	6. Bad Dates

_**Anonymous:**  Could you do something in modern au where Eren (or Mikasa) go on a date with some random person and when they get home they ask the other one to come over (like a best friend would do if they have a bad date lol) and they end up doing couple-y things? (fluff, smut, whatever you wanna make them do lol)_

* * *

 

With a sigh, Mikasa shut her apartment door and tossed her bag on the kitchen counter. She kicked off her heels, reaching up to rub her temples as she plopped down on her couch. Her head rolled back against the pillows, her eyes staring up at the ceiling. Was it that hard to have a decent date these days?

He was nice enough guy, but nothing seemed to go right. It was to the point where Mikasa decided to cut the night early so she could just come home and wear something comfortable and try to forget what a waste it was. She unlocked her cellphone in her hand and glanced at the time. It was a little after 9pm and here she was on a Friday night already in. Not that Mikasa was used to having a big social life but that date sure didn’t give her a good start to the weekend.

She scrolled through her contacts before tapping a familiar number and holding the phone up to her ears. She supposed it wasn’t too late to change that.

“Hey, Mika,” Eren’s voice buzzed over the phone. “How’d the date go?”

Mikasa kicked her feet up on the coffee table. “You wanna come over?”

He snorted. “I take it not so good.”

“I take it yours didn’t go so well either considering you answered my call so quickly.”

“God, it was awful. I’ll be right there.”

“Okay, door’s unlocked.”

“Alright.”

Mikasa tossed her phone on the couch and pushed herself up to her feet to get changed into something much more comfortable. At least she could always count on her best friend to be there. She shuffled into her bedroom to get out of the uncomfortable dress and into a t-shirt and some sweatpants that looking at them were probably Eren’s that he left here. She wiped off her makeup in the bathroom before heading back into her small living room and feeling much better.

She sat back down on the couch and flipped on the TV to whatever channel she was watching last, though by the looks of it whatever channel Eren was watching last. He only lived about a block away so they were constantly over each other’s places, especially after let downs from other people. There was no one else she could count on like Eren; he was always there for her no matter what. What better friend could she ask for?

“Hey,” Eren said as he popped open the door, sliding in before locking it behind him. “I brought your favorite.” He was holding up a paper bag against his chest, that familiar smile on his lips.

Mikasa tucked her legs up against her chest leaning forward on the couch. “Your mom’s nachos?”

“You got it.” He placed the bag on the kitchen counter before kicking off his shoes and unloading the bag.

“Did you stop at the store on the way here?”

“No, I had all of it hanging around my place in case of emergencies.”

She snorted. “Not Ben and Jerry’s then?”

He glanced back at her. “I have that too but I’m pretty sure Armin would’ve killed me if I touched it.” Eren flipped on her oven and started pulling out the pans and tin foil he’d need to cook. “So tell me about this guy.”

“Do I have to?” she groaned, her head hitting the back of the couch.

“Those are the rules, now out with it so I know if I have to go kill him or not.”

“It wasn’t like that,” Mikasa shrugged. “He was nice enough, a little awkward maybe. He’d fumble over his words or ramble so it was hard to actually have a conversation.”

“Maybe he was just stunned by your goddess like beauty.”

Mikasa threw a pillow at him making him laugh. “It was just okay, you know? He seemed like a good guy he just…he just…” He just wasn’t you is what Mikasa was thinking but she didn’t think that would quite be the appropriate thing to say. “Wasn’t it, you know?”

“Yeah, I know.” He poured the chips onto the pan, starting on getting the toppings on it next.

She watched him as he made the nachos he made her countless times. She didn’t think another person existed who was like Eren though. He was one of a kind and she was more than a little thankful he was in her life; no one could compare. “Tell me about yours then.”

“We don’t need to go over that.” He slipped the pan in the oven and set the timer.

“C’mon, I wanna hear how she did.”

He sat down on the couch next to Mikasa, slinging his arm over her shoulders and kicking his feet up on the coffee table. “Alright, it wasn’t so bad at first.”

“As they tend to be.” She leaned into him, her head rolling onto his shoulder and her knees hitting against his chest. His comforting scent and warm body had her feeling more at ease by the second.

“Then, Mikasa, she wouldn’t stop talking about her ex.”

Mikasa groaned in sympathy. “That’s the worst.”

“I decided it was better to end it and go home early.”

“Was Armin happy to have some company?”

Eren snorted. “If he was home maybe.”

She gave him a sympathetic pat on the chest. “That’s okay. We’ll eat a bunch of nachos.”

“That sounds much better than being on a date anyway.”

Wasn’t that the truth. Here she didn’t have to worry about always looking top notch. She could just lounge on the couch and be perfectly comfortable. “Do you think people ever go home and complain about us to their friends?”

He laughed, his fingers absentmindedly drawing circles on her arm. “I know they do. At least about me.”

“What could they possibly say about you? You’re generous, handsome, and you cook. What more could a woman want?”

Eren hesitated and she knew there was something he didn’t want to quite tell her.

She lifted her head off his shoulder to look him in the eye. “What is it?”

“I’ve been told by friends of girls I’ve dated before that they didn’t want a guy they had to share.”

Mikasa was confused for a second but it only took one look down at their bodies that were tangled on the couch together to understand the meaning. Eren really would drop anything for her, including breaking dates or leaving ones he was on. She’d protest but he always put her first. Mikasa supposed she could understand why other girls wouldn’t like it. Guys probably didn’t like that she did the same for Eren.

She loved Eren with all her heart and she never bothered to think if there was room for anyone else in there too.

“I’d say I’m sorry but they probably didn’t deserve you anyway,” Mikasa said resting her head against his shoulder again.

He leaned his head against hers a silence setting over them that wasn’t quite normal, like there was something hanging in the air. “You know,” he started, his voice just a bit quieter than normal. “I bet we’d be good at it.”

“Good at what?”

“Going on a date.”

The words made her stomach flutter. “We go out together all the time.”

“Yeah, but like a real date. Bet you we’d never make excuses to leave early.”

“Because we’d already be together,” she laughed slightly.

“See, exactly.” He nudged her with his shoulder.

When Mikasa looked up at him his eyes were already on hers. Those gorgeous eyes she loved so much. If she was being honest with herself, she hated all those dates he went on with those girls who would never appreciate him like she did. She wondered if he felt the same.  “Okay,” she breathed.

There was a look in his eyes, one she didn’t quite recognize. His breath was warm on her lips and she realized just how close they were together. “Should we start tonight?”

It wasn’t the first time she wanted to kiss him, but it was the first time under these circumstances, with him so close to her, his words still ringing in her ears. He tilted his head down to hers and Mikasa unconsciously reached up to meet him.

His words weren’t the only thing ringing in his ears. The oven timer went off making the both of them jump, Mikasa hitting her head against Eren’s.

“I’m sorry!” she said, covering her mouth and trying not to laugh. Her lips were still tingling from where his had brushed her.

He knocked his head playfully against hers before getting up to get the nachos. “It’s fine. It’s probably not morally right or some shit to have a date after both having one that night already.”

They could drop it right there. The moment was gone. They never had to bring it up again and just go on with their friendship. Nothing ever had to change. “How about tomorrow?” Mikasa asked, leaning back in the couch.

“For what?” Eren had a finger in his mouth from getting some of the cheese on it.

“Our date.”

A smile pulled at his lips. He opened up the sour cream and started to spoon it onto the chips. “I’ll get you at six.”

“Good. Is the food done?”

He held up the pan with the oven pits, walking it over and placing it on some magazines on her coffee table. “It’s hot be careful.” He sat back down and Mikasa curled back into him.

It was almost like it never happened or maybe it’s somewhere along the way in their friendship it just switched over naturally to something more. It was multiple times a week someone at work asked Mikasa if Eren was her boyfriend and she knew he got it too.

Whatever it was, she just knew more than ever that there was no one else she’d want to give this a shot with than him.


	7. Soccer Game

_**theseattleboy** **:** Please help me find an eremika fan fic, a kind of fan fic where Eren is jealous that guys are flirting with Mikasa and eventually Eren asks Mikasa out. _

* * *

 The game barely started and Eren was already miserable. It’s not that he didn’t like sports; they were fine and it gave him an excuse to leave the house and hang out with his friends. He also came because Armin had a crush on one of the girls on the soccer team so of course Eren was gonna come so Armin didn’t feel weird going alone to see her play. It was a nice day out too, warm breeze, sun was shining but Eren just found himself feeling miserable.

“What’s taking Mikasa so long,” he grunted to Armin who had his eyes on the field.

“Probably a long line,” Armin said. “I’m sure she’s fine.”

Normally Eren would’ve agreed, if anyone Mikasa could handle one crowded school stadium but the asshole sitting behind them had not stopped bothering her all day. Couldn’t he see she was clearly here with her friends and didn’t want to be harassed by someone who thought he had a chance with her? Asking her who she was rooting for, what her favorite team is, what she does for fun. Clearly, he had only one thing on his mind and it made Eren’s skin crawl.

At least when he finally snapped at the moron to sit in his seat and mind his own damn business the guy seemed to catch a hint. Mikasa went to go get food shortly after and hadn’t come back yet.

“Just go check on her if you’re worried.”

“I’m not worried,” Eren said, crossing his arms against his chest.

Armin gave him a look that said differently.

“Fine.” He pushed himself up to his feet. “But if I see she’s just waiting in line I’m coming back.”

“Okay, Eren,” Armin laughed, rolling his eyes.

Eren shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans as he slipped out of the row they were sitting and headed up the steps to the food areas. There were a couple of them but he figured she’d go to the nearest one, and he was right. Shortly after stepping into the shade of the building and pushing up his sunglasses up onto his head Eren saw Mikasa. She was standing in line still waiting to order. He was about to go back down the steps satisfied that she was only just waiting when he heard her laugh.

He looked over again to see she wasn’t standing alone in line. Some guy was standing next to her, not the one who was sitting behind them, this was some other ass. Eren felt his chest clench, irritation filling the pit of his stomach. Did these guys know what was good for them? Jesus Christ.

Eren couldn’t make out what the guy was saying to her but she was smiling and laughing over something. Eren hated it. He hated every bit of the sight in front of him. No one else was supposed to make Mikasa laugh like that. He didn’t even know he started walking over to them till she caught his eye.

“Hey,” she said, turning to face him. “The line’s been kinda slow.”

“Yeah I figured,” Eren said coming to stop in front of the poles that were making off the line. “Who’s this?”

Mikasa looked startled for a moment like she wasn’t sure what Eren was talking about until he gestured with his head to the guy who was still standing next to her.

“Well,” the guy said holding his hands up slightly. “If you’re her boyfriend, I’m no one.”

“I’m not,” Eren grunted, crossing his arms against his chest.

“Then I’m Thomas, I was just keeping Mikasa company in line.” He held a hand out to shake Eren’s hand but Eren didn’t move, making Thomas drop his hand awkwardly.

“Did you want something else?” Mikasa asked, her eyes narrowing just slightly as if to tell Eren to relax or leave.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I’m fine. Just like when I was sitting during the game.” The line moved slightly and Mikasa moved with it.

Eren knew her, and he knew she was telling him to stop making a scene everywhere she went but how could he help it? How could these guys think they had a chance with someone as good as her? They didn’t know her; they didn’t know how amazing she was. They only saw her standing there in her t-shirt and shorts, sunglasses on her head keeping her bangs out of her face, looking, well, yeah, gorgeous but that wasn’t all she was.

“I’ll bring you your food, okay?” she said, clearly wanting him to leave.

“Fine.” Eren turned and left. If that’s what she wanted fine. She shoved his sunglass back down over his eyes as he shoved his way back to their seats. If she wanted some assholes flirting with her all the time, fine. He just didn’t want her to get hurt, but whatever. He tried to ignore that it made his heartache more than it hurt his pride.

“What happened?” Armin asked when Eren practically threw himself into his chair, sinking down into it.

“Nothing.”

Armin paused for a moment as he turned to face Eren a little better. “You know, you can just tell her how you feel instead of getting jealous over every boy who talks to her.”

“I’m not jealous.”

“Eren, you threatened to smash nachos in a guy’s pants if he didn’t stop talking to her.”

“Well, he shouldn’t have been all over her.”

“You’re not the only one who sees how amazing of a person she is, and I guarantee you one day she will say yes to one of those guys who ask her out. I suggest you start figuring out what you’re gonna do not to get yourself arrested when that time comes.”

Cheers went up in the stadium as someone scored or some shit, Eren didn’t even care.

“Or you could just tell her and save yourself the misery and save me from bailing you out for assault.”

Eren decided not to answer that. It was his choice to keep his feelings to himself. Mikasa deserved better than all those guys who drooled over her, and she deserved better than him. The best he could do was try and keep her safe from getting hurt but he might overdo it every now and then. He was jealous, and it killed him to see those guys making her laugh, making her smile. He wanted that to be him.

“Armin, here you go.” Mikasa said as she sat down next to Eren, passing over a drink and a burger to Armin. She dropped Eren’s nachos in his lap without a word but he noticed she still got him the spicy dip without him ever asking.

Mikasa was picking at her fries while Armin turned back to the game completely abandoning Eren which was probably the plan.

He glanced over to Mikasa, her eyes on the field and not looking at him at all. He really tried to bite his tongue but it slipped out against his better judgment. “So got a date with the line charmer now?”

She dropped her hands in her lap. “What is your problem?”

“Nothing,” Eren grunted, completely ignoring his food.

“Then why are you being such an ass today? I thought we were here to have a nice day. Not a day where you snap at anyone who even looks at me.”

Eren felt the pit of his stomach drop. “Oh, so you want all those guys to stare at you, to drool over you, to flirt with you, huh. Didn’t know me and Armin were so boring.”

“Please keep me out of this.” Armin rolled his eyes.

“Eren, there is a nice way to turn somebody down and then there’s you who insists on embarrassing me and perfect strangers,” Mikasa said, looking away again.

“I’m not embarrassing you, I’m-”

“And just what do you call calling out every guy who talks to me with me standing right there? It’s embarrassing. It’s a good thing I don’t want to date those guys because I probably could never get a date.”

“That’s not true.” The words were out before he could stop them.

Mikasa turned to look at him again, this time less angry and more tired. “And why’s that?”

For a moment Eren didn’t know what to tell her, aside from there were probably tons of guys who would love to date her. But that wasn’t what he wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her how she made him feel, how happy he was whenever she was near, how warm her presence was to him. That he hated when she was away, and that he wanted to be the one to make her smile, make her laugh.  How much he wanted to just kiss her. That he was jealous, and that even though he thought there was probably someone far better for her than him, all he wanted to do was be with her.

Eren reached out to cup her face with his hands, pulling her close until his lips were pressed to his. His breath caught in his throat when he felt her kiss him back. “Because I would,” he mumbled pulling away from her slightly.

“Why didn’t you just ask?” Mikasa’s voice was quiet, but her face was soft, all lines of irritation gone.

“Cause he’s a moron,” Armin said.

Eren glanced over his shoulder, though not letting his hands drop from Mikasa’s face, to see Armin still staring out over the field. “Well.” Eren looked back over to Mikasa. “He’s not wrong. I just thought you deserved better than someone like me.”

She shook her head, this time a smile on her lips. “I never cared for any of those guys who tried to ask me out. You’re the one I wanted.”

He tilted his head down to hers. “Does that mean I have to go through that ridiculous flirting before I can ask you out?”

“Yes.”

He snorted and let his hands fall down to the arm rest in between them. “Alright, well, the sun makes your hair shine out here, you know? I’d say that’s a beautiful necklace you have but my mom bought it so trust me, she made me think it was beautiful when she bought it.” He pushed his sunglasses back on the top of his head. “I’m Eren, by the way.” He reached out to shake her hand and she did so if not trying not to laugh. “I’m a sophomore here, and my best friend has a crush on #18 so that’s why we’re here.”

Armin shoved his shoulder into Eren’s back.

“I’m studying be a doctor like my dad is, so I’m gonna be in school for ages but that’s okay because you’re studying medicine too so we’ll be stuck together and you have the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. Will you go out with me?”

She had her hand over her mouth trying to cover her laughter but her eyes were bright. “Yes. When?”

Eren leaned back in his chair and propped his arm up on the arm rest, hand open towards her. “Right now.”

She took his hand, lacing her fingers between his. “Only if I can have some of your nachos.”

“Deal.”


	8. The Dare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what happens when I misread "bet" for "dare" lolol

_**Anonymous:**  eremika modern au fic pls there's a bet on who can ask the rival frat president's little sis out on a date but jokes on them cause eren is already secretly dating her & this is right time to make it official. pretty pretty please_

* * *

Eren probably should’ve been paying attention to the meeting going on around him as opposed to staring at his phone but these house meetings tended to be the same: here’s how much money we don’t have left, we need to do a fundraiser of sorts, no Connie that doesn’t mean doing an all you can eat contest no one wants to see that, and then the meeting would dissolve from there. Apparently his fraternity brothers had a different mind for today’s meeting because the words “it has to be a really good dare” found their way to Eren who still wasn’t paying attention.

“What’re you even talking about?” Eren looked up to the other boys in the room who were looking more than a little giddy.

“Maybe if you paid attention for once, Eren, you’d know,” Jean rolled his eyes but even that couldn’t erase the grin on his lips.

“We need to do something to get back at them, you know that!” Connie said, leaning forward on the couch, looking down at his hand of cards. “We thought maybe if it was in the form of a dare we could get away with it.”

Ah yes, the age old fraternity rivalries. Eren never cared too much for them once he was past being an impressionable freshman, though he wouldn’t even say no to raising a little bit of hell; he stayed his fair share of nights in the campus holding cells. Their rival fraternity was a tough one, whose president could just glare you into submission and he was some champion martial artist or something like that. As much as Eren liked to play pranks, even he tried to stay clear of Levi Ackerman; Eren valued his life too much for that.

“What’d you have in mind then?” Eren asked, dropping his phone on his lap.

“It has to be a low blow,” Reiner chirped in dropping his hand on the table and making Connie groan. “Those asses got us too good last week, we have to make a good comeback or we’ll never be able to live it down.”

“We have to get them where it hurts, from the inside,” Connie agreed.

“Hey,” Reiner said dropping the deck of cards he was shuffling; a realization must’ve come to him. “Doesn’t Ackerman have a sister who just started this year?”

Eren felt a jolt go down his spine. Oh boy.

Jean whistled. “Yeah, he does, pretty little thing too. I’ve seen her around them before, Mikasa I think her name is.”

“This could be just what we need.” Reiner turned his body so everyone in the room could see him. “Why don’t we dare one of us to go ask her out? Could you imagine how pissed he would be if one of us was dating his sister? It’s perfect.”

Eren’s mouth went dry and he couldn’t bring himself to be nearly as excited as the others. This wasn’t good at all. Not even a little bit. “Yeah, but what if we break his sister’s heart and then he breaks our bones. Or hell, she probably could too; I hear she’s trained in martial arts just as long as Levi has. I don’t think that’s a very good idea.”

“Stop being a downer, Eren,” Connie laughed with a grin. “It’s perfect! What little freshman wouldn’t fall for one of our charms?”

“So Connie is out for the dare, that’d never work,” Jean snorted causing Connie to throw a pillow.  “I don’t mind being dared. I’d take a beating for a date with that pretty girl.”

“Who says she’d even say yes to any of you?” Eren said, crossing his arms against his chest. “She could just say no, and then you’d humiliate us all.”

Reiner spoke up before Jean could throw that pillow back at Eren. “He does have a point but there’s no guarantee she’d say yes to any of us, so I guess if it backfires we can just say that it was a dare and move on with it. If it works we can come out that it was a dare in a much better way.”

“All of this sounds pretty mean if you ask me,” Eren said arching an eyebrow. “What if she ends up liking any of you morons, you gonna tell her all of it was just a dare and break her heart?”

The room was quite for a moment; it’s not like they were bad guys, though they were all jocks so it’s not like planning off the field was their specialty. That belonged to Armin who was in a different fraternity that probably wanted nothing to do with stupid rivalries.

“Alright,” Eren sighed, tossing his hands back into his lap. “I’ll do it.”

“You’ll do it?” Jean looked like he was about to fall out of his chair.

“I said I would, didn’t I? Any of you would blow it in a moment, I’ll do it in a way no one gets hurt and you get your payback.”

“Well, alright, man, if you’re sure,” Reiner said.

“Yeah, its fine. I accept the dare to ask out Mikasa Ackerman and not get killed in the process. When do you want me to do it?” Oh God, this was gonna get so complicated so fast, but better him than any of his moronic frat brothers; who would get themselves killed by Mikasa and Levi simultaneously.

“Tomorrow, its Friday so she’ll be more apt to say yes if she wants to go out over the weekend,” Jean said rubbing his hands together. “You ask her out and we’ll handle the rest. Make sure you do it in a public place so people know.”

“Fine.” Eren pushed himself to his feet. “Look, I really don’t care what you do to me or the other fraternity, but you dumbasses better not hurt her at all. She’s an innocent party in your twisted minds.”

Connie arched an eyebrow. “Since when did you care about anything that was related to Ackerman, after everything he’s done to us?”

“Because she isn’t Levi and she has nothing to do with this. She’s just a girl, so if you do something to hurt her it won’t just be Levi who comes for you. Tell me what you want me to do tomorrow; I have to do some homework before I can go to bed.”

“’Kay, night, Eren,” Reiner waved but the moment they thought Eren was out of earshot he distinctly heard, “What the hell got into him?”

Eren headed up the stairs past all the rooms, including his own, and headed to the small staircase that led to the roof. It was already dark out, the campus lights illuminating just about everything that Eren could see. He plopped himself down in one of the few chairs up there and looked down at his phone. Something smelt really nice up here but Eren couldn’t tell what; Bertholdt liked to garden in his spare time so the roof turned into this bright green garden when the weather was right. Eren always found it soothing to come up here after a rough day, but these days he found a different type of refuse up here.

He placed his phone to his ear and listened to it ring.

“Hey,” a voice spoke over the line and Eren instantly couldn’t stop smiling.

“Hey, beautiful, how was your day?”

She laughed a little. “It was fine, busy but fine. I greatly am looking forward to the weekend; I need to just relax for a little bit.”

“Yeah, about that,” Eren sighed, God, he really didn’t want to do this. “I’m gonna have to ask you out tomorrow.”

Mikasa did laugh at that one. “Eren, you did already. We’ve been dating for months, remember?”

“I know that, trust me.” There was that dumb smile again. “But I mean, I publicly have to ask you out tomorrow.”

There was a bit of silence on her end. “I thought we had our reasons for keeping this a private matter.”

“And they’re good reasons, trust me, I do not want to get murdered by your brother.”

That got a small laugh out of her.

“It’s just my frat brothers thought it would be a good prank to ask out our rival president’s little innocent sister. I tried to talk them out of it but they weren’t having it. I thought it would be best if I did it since I already did it once.”

“You didn’t want to see me turn them down in front of everyone knowing I was turning them down for you?”

Eren almost heard the smile in her voice. “Oh, that was a tempting thought too. I just thought I’d save them that embarrassment and get some good Karma back for all the shit things I’ve done before.”

“Okay, well, I don’t mind playing along as long as you promise to help me get them back one of these days.”

“That I’d have to see, so of course I will.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

“Yeah, see you then.”

“Please finish your work before you go to bed tonight.”

He snorted. “Yeah, I will. Night, Mikasa.”

“Goodnight.”

They both knew that wasn’t gonna happen and it didn’t, because by the time Eren woke up the next morning his books were stacked right where he left them completely untouched. Whatever, he had time before his first class to do it.

“Good morning!” Connie announced bursting into Eren’s room.

“Do you know the meaning of privacy?” Eren yawned kicking his legs out of bed. He reached for his phone on the nightstand, a text message shining on the screen.

_Mika_

_Do I need to dress up for the big occasion today?_

Eren tried not to laugh to give himself away in front of Connie.  _Nah, just bring yourself, that’s gorgeous enough,_ he sent back quickly as Connie started roaming through the pile of clothing that was Eren’s closet. “Did they really send you of all people to pick out an outfit for me?”

“How do you even find your clothes in here? You need to look good if you’re gonna get this girl to say yes. From what I hear she’s a bit of an ice queen.”

“Don’t you know not to judge people at first glance, Connie? No wonder you don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Says you,” he snored, pulling out a pair of jeans that didn’t look too wrinkled. “I haven’t seen you date a girl for more than a week all three years we’ve been in school together.”

Eren glanced down at his phone in his hand.

_Mika_

_When did you get so smooth? Well, I suppose you should use it today while you can because I seem to remember the first time you asked me out it wasn’t quite as smooth._

“Nothing wrong with wanting to find the right girl,” Eren answered as Connie tossed some clothes at him.

_Hey, I still got you to say yes didn’t? It’s my awkward charm._

“Okay, get dressed and meet us downstairs, we’re gonna try and catch her on her way to class. Jean says she heads past here around 10am every day.”

“Tell Jean he’s creepy as hell.”

Connie deiced to shut the door and not answer.

_Mika_

_Eren, I was working in the library and you asked me if we carried books here._

He winced at that one. Yeah, it wasn’t his best moment, but it’s not like he was an expert at asking out girls who didn’t start with him first.

_My very awkward charm. By the way, Jean noticed that you come by here the same time every day, I don’t know if I should be impressed or punch him in the face_

He dropped his phone and grabbed some clothes to head to the bathroom. He waited till he was showered and dressed in the clothes Connie didn’t pick out before grabbing his things and heading downstairs.

_Mika_

_It’s not my fault someone can’t ever wake up before 9am, is it? They were out of chocolate chip muffins at the café this morning. Is blueberry okay?_

“C’mon!” Jean nearly grabbed Eren’s arm when he stepped off the last step in the staircase. “You need to get out there, at least sit on the lawn or something.”

“I hope Connie mentioned it’s incredibly stalkerish of you for knowing her time schedule. Are you sure you don’t want to do this? You can talk to her about her class schedule, and her family tree.”

Jean shoved Eren much harder than was needed to out the door.

“You didn’t wear what I picked out,” Connie groaned, following Eren out the door. “And your hair is a mess.”

“Connie, you know I love you, but she would’ve said no for sure with that outfit.”  Eren headed down the steps of the house Jean and Reiner following behind. “And how can you be the resident hair expert, you shave yours off all the time.” He pulled out his phone, knowing the others were too busy keeping watch for that head of dark hair.

_Yeah, that’s fine. We’re here by the way, just look for me and the three stooges who aren’t even attempting to be subtle. Well, I guess don’t look for me but it won’t be hard to miss._

He heard her laugh before he saw her, and thankfully none of the guys were watching him to notice he looked right up to see her sitting on one of the stone walls in front of her brother’s fraternity. She did that on purpose. She was looking at her phone, well, she looked like she was but her dark eyes met his for the briefest of seconds before she turned her attention to the person standing next to her, the very blond guy standing next to her.

Armin was the only person who actually knew about Eren and Mikasa’s secret dating life, and he assumed she told Armin what was going on if he was still standing there so he wasn’t completely baffled why Eren was asking out his girlfriend on a date.

“Alright, guys, here goes nothing, huh?” Eren started to head down the path that lead deeper into the fraternity and sorority houses. It only took him a second to realize they were still following him, which was okay; he could put on a good enough act with it. “C’mon, guys,” he said loud enough for people around him to hear it as he turned around walking backwards to face them. “I can do this on my own you know.”

“We just wanna make sure you don’t chicken out, buddy,” Reiner said with a grin. “We wanna make sure you get the girl too.”

At least Reiner was a better actor than the other two who looked anything but inconspicuous. Eren turned back around and closed the short distance now between himself and Mikasa; he already had his plan firmly in his head. This would be a piece of cake.

“Hey, buddy,” he said as he wrapped an arm around Armin’s shoulder giving him a squeeze.

“Hey, Eren, what a surprise. I didn’t know you could even be of the living this early,” Armin said with a smile, and Eren heard Mikasa trying not to laugh.

“It happens on rare occasions.” He glanced over to Mikasa who was doing anything but looking at him. “You forget to tell me you got a girlfriend?”

“This is my friend Mikasa,” Armin introduced seamlessly and Eren, not for the first time, wished the other guys had tact like Armin. “She’s in one of my classes.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen her walk by every now and then. I’m Eren, nice to meet you,” he extended his hand to her.

She gave it a light shake no emotions on her face. “Nice to meet you too.”

“This is Reiner, Jean, and Connie. I told them to mind their own business but they seemed to think I couldn’t ask out a girl by myself.”

Mikasa tucked some of her hair behind her ear as she watched him. “Is that what you’re trying to do?”

To anyone else it might’ve sounded cold but the words struck a chord in Eren’s chest. What was he trying to do? Do a stupid dare for his dumbass frat brothers, that’s what he was trying to do but what was it gonna bring? He’d go on the date and do whatever ridiculous thing they had planned and then what? Was he supposed to really date Mikasa when he already had been or was he just never to see her again and go back to their quiet dating? It all seemed really pointless. Yeah, if they were to go public with their relationship he would probably get killed by not only Levi but his own fraternity too but was it worth trying to hide the fact he was very much in love with this amazing girl? Was it worth sneaking out all the time without telling anyone why, still having to flirt was other girls to put on a show, to pretend he didn’t know her when he saw her in public when really all he wanted to do was sneak up behind her and wrap his arms around her?

“Yeah,” Eren said firmly. “I am, and if we were in the school library I’d still ask you if you had books there because sometimes I get so embarrassed that I make a fool out of myself in front of you, but I’d rather do that than be something I’m not.”

Mikasa’s eyes got wide for a moment, before she started to laugh. “Oh my God, Eren.” She had to cover her mouth she was laughing so hard and Eren couldn’t have taken the smile off his face if he wanted to.

“Eren, I thought we were never gonna talk about that again,” Armin snorted. “That was painful to watch let alone be reminded of.”

Mikasa jumped off the ledge and moved right into his arms, her lips pressing against his. Eren reached up to cup her face as he kissed her back. There, that was so much more like it.

“I really don’t know what just happened,” Connie whispered rather loudly. “But how come I can’t pick up girls like that?”

Eren laughed before he pulled away from Mikasa, dropping his hands to his waist. “Hey, guys, this is Mikasa, she’s my girlfriend. God, that feels good to say.” It was also worth it to see the looks on their faces.

“Hello,” Mikasa waved, leaning her chin against Eren’s shoulder.

“You…” Jean said, looking like his forehead vein was about to bust. “You were already dating her?”

“Yeah,” Eren nodded. “Since October last year which is why I agreed to your ridiculous plans, I already knew she’d say yes.”

“Not if you kept going like you were,” Mikasa snorted.

Eren chose to ignore that.

“But she’s Ackerman’s sister, how could you do that?” Reiner said, gesturing towards the house behind them.

“She has nothing to do with her brother, moron. Well, aside from her being his sister. What I mean is it’s not like I’m dating her brother.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Jaeger. You’re not my type.”

Eren was lucky Mikasa was still holding onto him or he probably would’ve just ran down the street at the sound of Levi’s voice. Sure enough the house president was standing on the lawn, arms crossed and not looking particularly happy about the situation in front of him; not that he ever looked too happy about anything.

“Levi,” Mikasa warned, turning around to face him. “I’m pretty sure we had an agreement when I came here that you’d back off and let me date who I want.”

He grunted. “I was pretty sure you had better taste in men than that.”

“Hey, think about it as a truce,” Connie said. “We’ll leave you guys alone and you leave us alone since now the houses are bonded, untied together.”

“This isn’t Westeros,” Jean said, hitting Connie on the back of the head.

“Just give it to them, Levi,” one of the guys shouted from the porch but Eren couldn’t really see who it was. “You’ll get more hell from her than any of those guys could think of if you don’t.”

Levi was quiet for a moment just staring them all down, maybe waiting to see if they’d do something. “Fine,” he sighed, reaching up to rub his temples. “Consider it a truce for as long as my sister decided to keep her standards in men low.”

Eren couldn’t even get mad at the dig because all he could think of was this actually worked for everyone for once. Who would’ve thought telling the truth actually made things better, aside from Armin that was.  Mikasa turned back around and mouthed “Wow” to Eren; obviously he wasn’t the only one who was surprised.

“Oi, there will be hell to pay if you break her heart or get her knocked up, you hear me, Jaeger?”

Eren cringed; that was more like it. “Loud and clear.” Before he could feel further embarrassment though, Mikasa reached up to hold his face, kissing him again. It really didn’t matter who was still around him at that point.  

“I still wanna get back at them,” Mikasa murmured against his lips.

“Oh, you will. Trust me.”

 


	9. Camping

_**titankiller31:**  how about a camping trip with both Eren and Mikasa's parents. They both like each other but don't know how to tell each other there about 15 or 16 then she sneaks in his tent and they talk about there feelings and kiss or something could u do that_

* * *

 

Mikasa loved the outdoors. She loved the fresh air, the breeze rustling the trees, the long hiking trails out in the middle of the woods, sleeping under the stars. She looked forward to her week long camping trip every year since she was ten and even now as she slipped her toes in the cool water of the lake near their campsite, she felt nothing but peace.

The sun was only just rising over the mountains and trees across from the still waters. It was a little cool out being so early in the morning, but she loved getting up early to watch the sunrise. There was something that was so calming about the forest in the early morning. Mikasa tugged her sweater a little closer to her, her feet kicking lightly in the water as she sat on the dock. Dr. Jaeger’s boat was tied off securely to the side which surprised her. He was normally dragging Eren and Armin out of the tent first thing every morning to catch fish for dinner that night. She supposed Dr. Jaeger was letting them all sleep in considering they always tended to stay up the latest on the first night eating s’mores till one of the boys, usually Eren, threw up.

Either that or Dr. Jaeger couldn’t actually wake them up and gave up. They were a little easier to wake up at ten and twelve then at sixteen.

A smile pulled at Mikasa’s lips as a few birds off in the distance skimmed over the water for fish. Footsteps padded along the dock somewhere behind her but Mikasa didn’t pay too much mind. There were a few other boats docked here so it could be another camper or it could just be Aunt Carla coming to ask her to help with breakfast.

Mikasa felt her heart jump into her throat when Eren sat himself down next to her instead; that she wasn’t expecting. Normally he had to be dragged out of bed by his mom when it started to near 10am. Mikasa turned to face him with every intention of asking him why he was awake but she had to clap a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing first.

He looked like he rolled out of bed and walked straight over here, which was probably the truth. He was still wearing his t-shirt and pajama pants he wore to bed last night, his hair was messier than even usual, and he still looked half asleep, eyes squinting against the sun.

“What’re you doing?” she snorted.

Eren shrugged, reaching the back of his hand up to rub at one of his eyes. “Why’s it so bright?”

“Cause it’s the morning?”

He looked over to blink at her, that sleepy look on his face making her smile. She wanted to reach up and run her hands through his messy hair, to feel his warm arms around her. The thought alone made her breath hitch. She looked away from him, back over the lake hoping he was too tired to notice her cheeks getting hot.

Camping with the Jaegers and Armin was something she looked forward to every year, but more recently it got a little hard for her to be so secluded and so close to him practically living together for a week out here knowing she had a stupid crush on her dumb best friend. It was simple when they were kids, but it wasn’t so simple anymore. She wouldn’t miss it for the world but being up here was a mix of exhilaration and heartache knowing he’d never feel the same way about her.

“I was looking for my sweater,” Eren yawned. “But it seems someone beat me to it.” He reached back to pop the hood over her head, fabric falling into her eyes.

She pulled her hands out from under the too long sleeves to brush the hood out of her face as she looked back to him. “You left it outside overnight, it was free game.”

“Of course,” he snorted. He glanced back over to her, his eyes meeting hers. Eren always had the prettiest eyes. Most of the girls fawned over Armin’s because he was the blond hair and blue eyes type but Eren’s eyes were a mix of blue and green, almost like the lake in front of them, the ocean on a bright day. They gave away every emotion, good or bad. Yet there were times she couldn’t quite read what was going on behind them.

“What?” she asked, trying to ignore heat rising to her cheeks again as he didn’t break eye contact with her.

Eren hesitated before he bit down on his lip and looked away. “Nothin’.”

“Is something wrong?”

“Yeah,” he yawned again, stretching his arms over his head so his shirt rode up on his stomach; Mikasa did try not to stare. “I’m starving. C’mon, my mom is probably already making something. Then maybe we can push Armin’s bed in the lake.”

“That’s you who would sleep through that, not him,” Mikasa said, the familiar comfortable air settling between them again.

Eren pushed himself up to his feet, reaching a hand down for her. “That’s probably true.”

She grabbed her shoes and put her hand in his, those familiar fingers wrapping around hers as he pulled her up to her feet. A part of her didn’t want him to let go but he did, letting her hand drop to her side as he started to walk back up the dock.

He glanced over at her, a sly sorta smile on his face.

“What?” she asked, shoving her hands in his sweater’s pockets.

“Race you, loser has to do breakfast dishes.”

“Oh, you really wanna do the dishes do you?”

He let out a low whistle. “Mikasa, is that a challenge?”

She dropped her sneakers on the dock so she could slip her feet in. “Considering I’m actually wearing clothing and shoes, no, it’s not much a challenge.”

“Too bad!” He was already running to the end of the dock when she was still getting her second shoe on.

Mikasa rolled her eyes but she couldn’t stop the smile on her face. She started down the path Eren already disappeared down. Sure enough it didn’t take her too long to pass him considering he was the genius trying to run barefoot down a dirt path that was cleared out some sure but was still covered in rocks, roots, and various natural debris. It was easy to get around him when he stepped on a rock or something, curses falling from his lips.

She did turn her head to make sure he was okay before turning off the path into their camp area. Mikasa slowed to a jogas she approached the tents in the clearing, the smell of fire and cooking food making her stomach growl.

“Good morning, dear,” Carla said, waving her spatula as she cooked some eggs over the fire.

“Morning,” Mikasa breathed.

“Where’s Eren? I was surprised to see the missing body in the boy’s tent was him.”

“I’m here,” he grunted, hobbling through the path to stand next to Mikasa.

Carla looked up, arching an eyebrow at him. “Did you really go out in your pajamas?”

“Ma,” Eren walked over to the campfire to throw himself down in a chair. “Go out where? We’re in the middle of the woods. No one is gonna judge me for walking to the lake in pajamas.”

“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever even see you up that early.” Carla looked back down to the food, pouring the cooked eggs onto plates and grabbing new ones to crack open. Her tone was normal, but there was that teasing smile on her lips. “What was the occasion?”

“No, occasion,” he said, kicking a leg over the arm rest of the chair. “I got up to take a piss and then decided to see if Mikasa was at the lake.”

“Charming.” Carla went to add some seasoning to the cooking eggs.

“Eren has dishes after breakfast by the way,” Mikasa said as she sat down in the chair next to Eren’s.

Carla perked up significantly. “Does he now?”

“Only cause Mikasa cheated,” Eren said, leaning his head back against the chair.

“Oh, I cheated because I wore shoes in the woods?”

“Something like that,” he yawned, eyes already closing.

“Go on, go get Armin up, Eren,” Carla said, tapping her spatula against the side of the pan. “Your father is already up and gathering us more firewood.”

Eren groaned. “Do I have to? He’ll wake up on his own anyways.”

“You’re up, you’re helping.”

Mikasa tried not to laugh when Eren nearly tripped to his feet; he was probably the only one who wasn’t a morning person out of all of them. She looked back to the crackling fire while Eren walked around behind her to this tent, tucking her legs up underneath her and pulling Eren’s sweater closer to her. It smelt a little like the fire from last night but more like him.

Carla hummed as she dumped the eggs onto more plates, getting ready to heat up some sausages she cooked the day before. Just the smell of them hitting the hot pan had Mikasa’s stomach growling even louder.

“No need,” Eren yawned, making his way back to his seat. “He’s already up and dressed.”

“Good morning, Armin,” Carla said cheerfully.

“Morning,” he said, walking over to one of the empty chairs and sitting down, a book in his hands.

“Did you sleep okay?” she asked, stabbing one of the sausages to see if it was hot enough yet.

“Yeah, Eren didn’t snore as loud as normal.”

“Hilarious,” Eren said, his head back against the chair and eyes closed once again. Mikasa wouldn’t be surprised if he actually slept through breakfast.

A smile pulled at her lips as she watched Carla, heard Armin’s laugh before he told Eren Armin actually didn’t wanna kick him out of the tent for once. Eren grunted, but he never denied it.

They waited until Dr. Jaeger came back to eat, everyone sitting around the campfire. Aunt Carla always cooked the best food but there was something about it being cooked over an open fire that just made it taste better even if it took longer and more preparation. Levi wasn’t the biggest fan of anything outside so this was really the only time Mikasa got to go camping or hiking, especially swimming in a lake.

“So,” Carla said in between bites of her breakfast. “What do you kids wanna do today?”

“I was thinking about taking some of the trails,” Eren said, he still looked tired but the food seemed to be helping. “You wanna come with me, Mik?”

She felt a jolt go down her spine, even though it wasn’t an uncommon thing for him to ask her at all. “Of course.”

“Good,” Grisha said. “Don’t need you getting lost on us.”

“C’mon, Dad,” Eren groaned. “That was one time.”

“One time,” Carla rolled her eyes. “I’m pretty sure the park rangers know you by name.”

Armin snorted into his orange juice and Eren looked significantly grumpier, but it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.

“Well, that actually sounds fun, why don’t we all go for a nice morning hike,” Carla said, already standing up to start cleaning up.

“Mom, we’re not ten. Think we’ll be okay,” Eren said.

Carla eyed him for a moment. “Okay, but don’t think you’re getting out of doing family things all week.”

“I never thought I could even if I tried.”

“That’s better,” she said, reaching for his plate.

Eren stood up just about as tall as his mom now. “I said I had dishes.” He tried to take the ones in her hand but Carla just took his anyway.

“It’s fine, go get dressed and get outta here,” she said, a smile on her lips.

“I mean, if you insist.” Eren was already turning back to the tent when Carla pointed at him.

“I will get you back, you owe me.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he waved slipping into the open side of the tent.

“You wanna come too, Armin?” Mikasa asked.

He shook his head, holding up the book on his lap. “I was gonna go read by the lake for a bit, I’ll meet up with you later.”

“Ready,” Eren said as he stepped back out, throwing a backpack on his back. He looked like he really only changed his shirt and pants, his hair still a mess from sleeping.

“Okay.” Mikasa stood up to her feet and waved to the others before following Eren back out to the forest, one of the many in this park. “Which one did you want to go on?”

“Um…” Eren closed his eyes and pointed his arm out in a random direction. “That way.”

“And you wonder why your mom worries you’ll get lost.”

He snorted but he started to walk down the nearest path to where he pointed. Most all the camping areas were pretty spread out to the chances of walking into some else’s camp close to theirs was not too likely, that being said they did it a lot on accident a lot as kids. Mikasa followed next to him, the path wide enough for a few people to walk through; there were also plenty of trail markers so she knew they’d be okay even if Eren did wanna go off to another path at some point.

He was quiet which was a little unusual, normally Eren was pretty chatty since that’s really all they could do up here. Mikasa figured maybe he was still just tired, but at least he remembered to put on shoes this time.

“Are you still cold?” he asked, glancing over at her.

“Not everyone runs an abnormal body temperature.”

A smile pulled at his lips, one that was similar to when he was watching her at the dock this morning. She almost asked what it was again but he turned away, hooking his fingers into the straps on his chest.

“Wanna go kayaking when we get back?” Eren said, eyes looking off the path at a noise, probably an animal.

“So you can just dump me in the water? No thanks, Armin can have that pleasure.”

Eren rolled his eyes. “I don’t do it every time.”

“Liar,” she snorted. “You’ve done it every time since we were kids.”

He looked off in the distance like he was counting just how many times he flipped her boat. “Oh yeah, I guess I do.”

Mikasa reached over to hit him in the shoulder with her fist.

“Ow, hey, I’m sorry, okay,” he laughed.

“Liar.”

Eren looked over his shoulder, like he was looking for something but he fell silent again. It wasn’t a bad thing. Mikasa wasn’t the most talkative person in the world so he was used to being quiet or keeping up a conversation with her. It was never uncomfortable. It still wasn’t now, but she felt a little anxious in the pit of her stomach. She wasn’t sure if it was because she was alone in the woods with the guy she had a crush on or if it was something else. Mikasa tried to ignore it but it was making her hands fidget with the sleeves of his sweater as she walked.

“Hey,” he said, clearing his throat. “Do you think you’d wanna come up here like…like always?”

Her forehead furrowed. What kinda question was that? “I always come up here with you guys.”

“Yeah, I mean, I know that.” He was avoiding actually looking at her which she found strange.

The anxiety in her stomach only grew, making it hard to breathe. What if he was asking her that he didn’t want her to come up with them anymore? That he wanted to bring someone else instead? No, that was ridiculous, Eren was her best friend but…people change don’t they?

“I just meant in the future, would you always wanna come up here?”

“Of course,” she said. “I love camping with you and your family. Levi would never be caught dead sleeping anywhere that wasn’t a clean hotel, this is the only chance I get.” She paused. “Plus, I like getting to spend time with just you, and Armin too.”

“Yeah, me too.” Eren seemed a little lighter that time.

“Why do you ask?” She reached up to tuck some hair behind her ear, feet stepping over a few roots in the path.

He shrugged and made that face he did when he was about to lie. “No reason.”

“Liar.”

“Mikasa,” he half laughed and half sighed. “Why are you so insistent that I’m lying to you?”

She felt a little more at ease when he looked at her. “Because I know when you lie to me.”

Eren paused in the trail, reaching up to rub his hand against his forehead. He looked hesitant, and Mikasa wasn’t sure if she should brace herself for the worst or not. “I was just asking cause I thought maybe when we graduated high school, that summer, you know, I thought my parents would…they’d let us come up here for a weekend, just, um, me and you.”

Mikasa blinked at him, finding it hard to breathe. That wasn’t what she was expecting.

“I mean, if you’d want,” he hurried, hands pulling at the backpack straps.

“Well, yeah, of course. I just didn’t…I didn’t know you did.” She bit down on her lip. Mikasa wasn’t sure what he was trying to imply. If it was just he wanted to spend time with her or if…if he wanted something more than that.

“Of course, Mik,” he said, a smile pulling at his lips. “That’s what I, um, always want.” Eren looked happy for a moment before he cringed reaching his hands up in defense. “I mean it doesn’t have to wait till then, I just thought that would be nice sometimes. We can, um, we can do other things till then since that’s like a year away.”

Mikasa’s forehead furrowed. “Eren, what are you talking about?”

“Shit,” he groaned, rubbing his hands against his face. “I’m even more terrible at this than I thought and that’s a lot.”

Her breath was in her throat. “Just tell me what you’re trying to say.”

Eren looked up at her. “I was just…I mean I only wanted to tell you that…” He took a step forward to her but clearly had his mind anywhere else but the ground because he promptly tripped over some of the roots in the path.

Mikasa tried to catch him before he fell but it didn’t work at all and she ended up on her back, his body crashing on top of hers. “God, Eren, are you okay,” she groan trying to push herself up onto her elbows.

“All but my pride,” he said as he pulled himself up with his hands that landed on either side of her. When he turned his head, he was so close she could almost feel his breath on her face. Her heart was in her throat. His eyes were so bright, that familiar face so close to hers.

“Look, Mikasa, I was just only trying to tell you…that I…that I want-”

She leaned in without even thinking until her lips were pressed to his. Before she could pull away and promptly freak out over what she just did, he kissed her back so forcefully she almost hit her head against the ground.

“That,” he breathed when they broke apart. “I want that.”

“You want to kiss me?” Mikasa said, heat already burning her cheeks.

His smile melted away any fear, any worry she had before. “Every damn day. I’m sorry I’m terrible at actually telling you that.”

Much to her surprise, she laughed. “No, Eren, it was very you.”

“Is that a good thing?” he snorted, moving off of her so he could get to his feet. He reached his hands down to help her up, but he didn’t let go when she stood up.

“It’s my favorite thing,” she said.

This time he was the one who kissed her, and this time he didn’t trip over his own feet to do it.


	10. Cat Cafe

_**Anonymous:**  hello there! hope your day has been going well. if you don't mind, could you please write an snk cat cafe au — whether the snk cast is visiting the cat cafe OR they are the cats themselves is up to you. thank you so much! (-:_

* * *

 

“Eren, why do you even go back there every day?”

Eren shrugged as Armin talked to him, following behind as they walked through the small aisles at the corner store. “I like cats.”

“You’re allergic to them.”

Eren turned around to look at his skeptical faced friend. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t like them.” He led Armin down another aisle and scooted around an older woman who was looking for pain meds.

“No, it just means you have a horrible allergic reaction every time you’re near them.”  Armin nearly ran into Eren when he stopped suddenly in the new aisle.

He quickly scanned the rows and rows of medicine before picking up the box he had come to know so well.

“Benadryl? Really, Eren? You just pop allergy medicine to go to a cat café?”

“Clearly you don’t know the calming wonders cat cafés bring.” Eren started to head back up to the front so he could pay for his medicine, take it, and get over to where he had been going every day after work.

“You’ve never showed that much interest in any cats before. There’s something more.” Armin paused for a moment. “There’s a girl isn’t there?”

Eren glanced back over his shoulder. “That’s not true.”

Armin was grinning now. “Yes, it is. You only do ridiculous things like go to a cat café when you’re allergic to cats when you have it bad for a girl. So tell me, who is she?”

“No one, it’s no one. I like the cats. They’re soft and cuddly.” Eren realized he wasn’t making a very good case for himself. He really wished he wasn’t stuck in line with Armin now of all times. Why does this lady need 15 flats of water? Jesus Christ.

“Cut the shit,” Armin snorted. “Tell me or I’m coming to the café with you.”

Eren groaned. “Fine. She works there okay.”

“I knew it. So you’ve been going there nearly every day for weeks and do you even know her name?”

“Of course, it’s Mikasa.”

“Is that because it’s on her name tag?” Armin was laughing now and Eren reached back to shove him.

“Next!” the cashier said causing Eren to go up to the counter, pay, and be on his way.

The café was just down the street from there, about mid work and his apartment complex. It was how he found the place to begin with. He happened to notice when it got put in with all the cats playing in the windows. He really didn’t care at first, he was allergic to cats, but then saw her. He tried to walk by every day but she worked the shift that timed perfectly with when he got off work and he always saw her in there. Eren had to talk to her. Now here he was, taking allergy meds and going to play with cats.

“You know, taking those everyday probably isn’t so great for you,” Armin said, still walking beside him down the sidewalk.

“What’re you talking about? It’s what they’re meant for.”

“When you have allergic reactions, not because you put yourself in situations that give yourself an allergic reaction.”

Eren popped open the box, and swallowed down the two pink pills before giving Armin a clasp on the shoulder. “I’m fine, buddy. I don’t even sneeze.”

Armin shook his head. “You better at least get a date out of all this.”

“I’m working on it.”

“And when you tell her that her job literally makes you sick?”

“Haven’t gotten that far.”

Armin laughed and gave a wave as he turned down his street to where his apartment was. Eren would work it out, he…normally did. Sure he had done some ridiculous things for girls over the years but Mikasa she was different. It was the only time he ever stayed around something he normally avoided for a girl and the first time he visited a girl nearly every day without dating her. Needless to say, he fell pretty hard for the cat café lady.

Mikasa’s friend Sasha actually owned the café. It was for homeless cats from a local shelter to get some love and find homes since all the cats could be adopted. While Eren never had cats himself, for the obvious reasons, he did love animals so he respected the effort.

He already saw a few of the cats lounging in the windows as he walked by and Mikasa standing behind the counter like she always did. Eren pushed open the door hoping the Benadryl kicked in quick today. “Good afternoon,” he smiled closing the door behind him.

“Good afternoon, Eren. How’re you today?” Mikasa smiled back, leaning over the counter.

“A lot better now,” he said. “How’s the day been?”

She shrugged and gestured to area. There were a few people sitting at a table, one girl on the floor with some of the cats. “It’s been a little slow but not bad. Can I get you your usual?”

“Yes, please.” He pulled out his wallet to pay while she made his drink but she was already handing it to him.

“I hoped you say yes,” she laughed a little.

Eren was pretty sure he couldn’t have wiped off the grin on his lips even if he wanted to. He traded his card for the drink and watched her swipe it before handing it back.

“Why don’t you go sit down? I actually have something for you today,” Mikasa said gesturing to the back room.

“For me?”

She nodded and pointed over to the seat he always sat in.

Eren did as he was told even his was a little surprised, good surprised though, well he hoped. He plopped down into the low chair with the bright and comfy cushions. There was a cat sleeping in the seat next to him that looked up. He sipped at his coffee and reached over to scratch the cat’s head. Well, he hadn’t sneezed so all seemed to be well.

“Okay,” Mikasa said causing Eren to look up at her as she walked over. “This is Waffles. He’s little tiger cat we found last week. We got him all fixed up and he was so cuddly at the shelter we thought he’d be good here.”

Eren put his coffee in the cup holder on the armrest and took the cat Mikasa was passing to him. Waffles was a sweet little thing, purring like a motorboat and flopping right into Eren’s arms. “He’s cute,” Eren said, scratching behind Waffle’s ears and getting an affectionate meow from the cat.

Mikasa sat down in the chair next to Eren and reached over to pet Waffles on the back while the cat started to fall asleep. “He’s short haired too, I thought it might help.”

“Help with what?”

She looked up at him, a smile pulling at her lips. “Your allergies.”

Eren thought he felt his heart stop. “My wh-what?”

Mikasa didn’t look offended just amused. “After a little bit in here your eyes start to get red, you clear your throat a lot like it’s scratchy. I figure you take something or you’d be sneezing everywhere but my roommate is allergic to cats so I know what it looks like.”

He didn’t know whether to be embarrassed or to just laugh. She saw through him from the first day he walked in here. “I haven’t been smooth this whole time have I?”

She shook her head. “But I think someone who goes through all that just to come in here is really sweet.” Mikasa bit her lip but the smile was still there. “I get off work in a half hour.”

Eren was grinning. “What a coincidence, I’m pretty sure I’m Waffles’ bed for a half hour.”

Mikasa opened her mouth to say something else but the door opened. She gave him a quick wave before going to greet the customers. He watched her go and that stupid smile on his lips he found himself having since the day he met her.

Waffles meowed which probably meant “pet me more now” and Eren was more than happy to oblige. After all, the cat did help him get a date with the prettiest girl he knew. Eren couldn’t wait to rub it Armin’s face. Though the real question was did he tell Armin that she didn’t fall for a single one of Eren’s tactics?

Nah.


	11. Accident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You Only Know You Love Her When You Let Her Go is Chapter 24 of Feels Like Home in case you wanted to know what the request was referring to ^^

_**Anonymous:**  pls pls make another fic like your "You Only Know You Love Her When You Let Her Go"_

* * *

 

“Where’s Mikasa?”

It was Armin’s simple question that got Eren thinking. Where was Mikasa? He looked around the entrance to the campus library that at the moment was crowded with most all their friends waiting to pile into cars to trek out to the amusement park for the day. Yet that black head of hair was the only one missing.

Eren’s forehead furrowed as he looked for her, hoping he’d see her walking down from the parking lot. “I dunno. I mean I talked to her this morning. She called me before she left Levi’s house.” He pulled out his phone. No missed calls, no missed texts. “She said she’d be here on time just fine.”

“We can wait for her, it’s no problem,” Armin shrugged with a smile.

Yeah, it should be no problem. Maybe she just got stuck in traffic or maybe she had to stop for gas. Anything bigger than that she would’ve called. Eren looked at his phone again; it was nearly fifteen minutes past the time they agreed to meet, Mikasa was always on time. It was early in the morning sure, but Sasha was here for God’s sake, Mikasa would have no problem getting here on time.

Anxiety bubbled in the pit of his stomach. What if something went wrong? No, that was ridiculous. Someone would’ve called him or Armin, hell, Levi would’ve called. Still, it couldn’t hurt to call her to make sure. Everyone else was still chattering excitedly about getting away for the day, away from campus, away from school. Eren stepped to the side as he scrolled for her name in his phone.

His phone started to ring and her name and picture popped up on his screen before he could call her. Relief filled his body, and a sigh left his lips. There she was. “Hey, Mikasa, I was just gonna call you,” he said holding the phone to his ear. “Where’re you?”

There was silence for a moment. “Is this Eren Jaeger?”

His stomach sank and his mouth went dry. That wasn’t Mikasa, that was a man’s voice. “Yes, why? Is something wrong?”

“Are you Miss Ackerman’s family?”

Eren had to reach out to the railing by the stairs. “Yes,” he lied.

“She was in a car accident and was taken to a nearby hospital. You were the most frequent contact in her phone, we couldn’t find any parents to call.”

Panic was the first emotion to take over his body. He knew it by the way his heart started to race, the way his stomach was turning, the sweat beading on his forehead. “Is she okay?”

“I only know she was taken to Sina Medical Center. Do you have the names of her parents for us to contact?”

Eren ran a hand tightly through his hair. It was only then he noticed everyone else behind him had gone quiet. “Her parents are dead. Levi’s her brother, he was her guardian till she was eighteen.”

“Thank you, do you need directions to the hospital?”

“No.”

“I’m very sorry to have brought the news, Mr. Jaeger.”

Eren closed his eyes. A car accident could mean anything. She could have a broken bone, a few scratches or she could be in critical condition barely hanging on or she could…

“It’s fine, thank you for calling.” He clicked his phone off and shoved it in his jacket pocket, searching for his keys and trying to remember how to breathe and not think the worst.

“Eren?” That was Sasha, her voice soft.

When he paused and looked up he saw everyone looking at him with worried, expectant eyes. They might not’ve heard the conversation, but they could probably tell from looking at him something was wrong. “It’s Mikasa, I have to go.” He didn’t think he could say anything else. His keys were gripped so tightly in his hand that he felt them cutting into the skin.

Armin stepped towards him. “Want me to come with you?”

Eren’s first instinct was to say no, that he could handle it just fine but it wasn’t the case. Mikasa never got hurt; she never even broke a bone before. She was always okay. He was the one who had been to the ER almost every weekend growing up, not her. She sat by him in the waiting room keeping him company, she drew on his casts, she held his hand when he had to get stitches.  As far as he knew she had never even been to the hospital for herself before.

He swallowed back some bile rising up in his throat. “Yes.”  

Armin nodded calmly before turning back to the others. “You guys go on without us, okay? I’ll let you know as soon as we know anything.”

They all sounded upset, worried, words of condolences coming from their lips. Eren couldn’t look at them; he just stared up at the parking lot trying to make his hands stop shaking. Not Mikasa. Anyone but Mikasa.  

Armin tugged at Eren’s sleeve. “C’mon then, I’ll drive.”

Eren found himself following behind Armin up the steps to the parking lot where Eren parked his car the last time he drove. Armin was easing the keys out of Eren’s clasped hand as they walked. He didn’t want to give them up, silently fighting Armin over it. If Eren was driving then he’d be in control of something, he could go as fast as he wanted to, take the shortcuts he knew to get to the hospital his dad worked at, yell at the people behind the wheel he wanted to. He quickly realized why Armin offered to drive.

“Eren.” Armin stopped in front of the car, the keys still firmly in Eren’s hands. “I know you feel like you should be doing something, but getting us in a car accident isn’t gonna do her any good.”

The words sent chills down Eren’s spine. Armin knew less about what happened than Eren did but Armin was still as calm and collected as always. Eren pressed the keys into his best friend’s hand before shoving his hands in his pant pockets and walking to the passenger side. Maybe it was a good idea for Armin to drive.

Armin slid into the driver’s seat and reached across to unlock Eren’s door, letting him in. The car was already started when Eren shut the door, Armin backing out as soon as he could then shifting the gear into first to start to head out of campus. Eren was rather glad he taught Armin how to drive standard a few years ago; now sitting Eren didn’t think he could actually focus on driving. He taught Mikasa how to drive his car too. She was a natural, picking up on it probably even faster than he did, not that it surprised him.

He should’ve picked her up today. He offered and she said no, don’t go out of your way for her. He should’ve done it anyway. Why didn’t he do it anyway?

“Which way am I going?” Armin asked, looking at the upcoming road at the end of campus.

“To the hospital,” Eren choked on the words. “My dad’s hospital.”

Armin nodded and turned in the right direction. He still looked as calm as he did before, even though now he knew where she was. He stayed quiet too, not asking Eren any questions about the phone call or what he knew. It was probably Armin’s way of keeping Eren from talking about it and freaking out more. He had to say something though. He needed to know she was gonna be okay, even though Armin had no way of knowing that, Eren needed something.

“They said it was a car accident.”

Armin was quiet for a moment. “Did they say how it happened?”

“No, just that she was taken to the hospital.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that, I think it’s just privacy and such, they can only release information to designated people.”

That was probably true; Levi or even maybe Eren’s parents would be listed as emergency contacts. He was just the one who talked to her on the phone the most. He saw her every single day, and when he didn’t he talked to her on the phone. She called him this morning to make sure he didn’t forget to bring his jacket because it was probably gonna get colder in the afternoon and he teased her that someday he’d catch her off guard and remind her to bring something she needed for once. She was so happy this morning. When he closed his eyes he could still hear her laughing before she hung up.

“I know it’s hard, trust me.” Armin down shifted, getting ready to turn down a side road to get to the hospital faster. “But we don’t know the situation. Let’s get there and find out what’s going on. Why don’t you call your dad? He’s working today, right?”

That was actually a good idea. Maybe Grisha could get in there easier at the moment then Eren could. He scrambled for his phone, finding his dad’s number, and pressing it till the phone was ringing.

“Hey, Eren, what’s going on?”

The nice thing about having a doctor for a father was he always answered his phone. “Dad? You’re at the hospital right?”

“Yes, I am. What’s wrong?” Grisha must’ve recognized Eren’s tone.

“Mikasa got taken to the ER, can you go down there and find anything out? We’re on our way but the person who called me wouldn’t tell me anything and I don’t even know-”

“Hey, hey, calm down, son. I’m walking to the ER right now, okay? Now, who is we?”

Eren took a breath. “Me and Armin. Someone called me on Mikasa’s phone and told me she was in the hospital.”

“Did you call Levi?”

“No, I told them to though.”

“Okay, well, that’s good. Do you know why she’s in the hospital?”

“They said she was in a car accident.” Eren could see the blocky hospital buildings coming up over the tree lines. “She was on her way to meet us at campus but I don’t know where or how.”

“I think I can find out once I get there. I’m pretty sure your mother put us on Mikasa’s records incase Levi was ever out of town.”

Eren breathed a small sigh of relief; at least he knew in that case they wouldn’t stop one of them from seeing her. Armin pulled into the hospital property, winding through the thin roads to get to the familiar entrance to the ER.

“Hang on a second.” Grisha must’ve pulled the phone away from his ear but Eren could still hear his dad talking in the near distance. “I was told there was a Mikasa Ackerman admitted here?…No, I’m not her doctor but I am an emergency contact.”

Armin parked the car and Eren nearly dived out of it, rushing to the door. He couldn’t hear his dad talking anymore and he wondered if Grisha was listening to someone talk or reading something. As the glass doors got closer, Eren figured he’d find out soon enough.

“Eren, I’m gonna need you to be real calm for a moment, okay?”

He halted on the sidewalk at his dad’s tone. Armin came up to stop next to Eren, but didn’t say anything. Eren didn’t need to hear the words to know this wasn’t just a few cuts or broken bones. The way his dad spoke, Eren heard it before; it was the one Grisha used when he had to break bad news to heartbroken families.

“Dad…” Eren started but he couldn’t find the words to continue.

“She was driving through an intersection at a green light, the police report stated she had zero fault in the matter. It was the person who blew through the red light that hit her on the driver’s side.”

Eren could almost hear the tires skidding, the crunch of the metal, Mikasa trapped in the middle of it. His stomach turned. The sky started to spin. Armin must’ve clasped his hand on Eren’s shoulder, because he felt a little more grounded.

“She’s alive, son, but I won’t lie to you she’s in critical condition. She’s in surgery now to try and keep her steady.”

If Grisha said anything more Eren didn’t hear it. All the anxiety, all the stress he felt since the moment he got that call, all the images swirling in his head of Mikasa’s beautiful face broken and bloody, her sparkling dark eyes lifeless had him doubled over. He could barely remember what he ate for breakfast but it was all coming back up now.

“We’re right outside, Uncle Grisha,” Eren vaguely heard Armin said. He must’ve grabbed the phone before Eren dropped it. He felt Armin’s hand on his back but Armin didn’t say anything. Eren didn’t think there could be anything to say.

Why didn’t he go and pick her up this morning? He would’ve been late and she would’ve snipped at him for it but he would’ve bought her coffee and her favorite muffin on the way back to campus to make up for it. She would’ve laughed and fed him bites of it when he drove. She would’ve never been in that intersection. She would’ve never gotten hurt. She’d be sitting next to him in his car right now, with Armin, Connie, and Sasha shoved in the small backseat on the way to spend the first Saturday of October at the amusement park like they always did.

Eren felt two hands on his arms, pulling him back up to his feet.

“I know this isn’t easy, Eren.” Grisha was standing in front of him, both hands on Eren’s shoulders. “I know how close you two are but don’t let your fear blind you. Mikasa is a fighter. So be strong for her, it’s what she’d want.”

Eren didn’t feel very strong. He felt like a part of him had gotten ripped out, like a whole part of his life was missing. He couldn’t do anything but nod in response.

“C’mon, I’ll take you both into the waiting room and make sure they know we’re there so tell us when we can see her.” Grisha put his arm around Eren’s shoulders, leading both him and Armin into the ER.

No one stopped them when Grisha used his badge to get them in past the ER waiting room nor when they walked down the halls, deeper into the hospital. Not that Eren supposed they would, they were with a doctor. He had been to a good majority of areas in the hospital over the years of being admitted and just visiting his dad but the waiting room they walked into was unfamiliar to Eren. Broken bones, cuts that needed stitches, fevers, tonsils getting removed, those were the things he knew when coming here; not waiting on emergency surgery to save someone’s life.

“You boys just wait here, okay?” Grisha said when both Eren and Armin sat down. “I’ll let them know you’re here then I have to make a few calls so I can stay down here with you.”

“Thanks, Uncle Grisha,” Armin said when he probably assumed Eren wouldn’t.

“I’ll be right back.”

Eren didn’t really see where his dad went to though; he was too busy staring at the carpeted floor. There was a radio station playing over the speakers, maybe a TV going. The room was tense, and not just from him. When he looked up there was another few people huddled in a corner, also waiting on news of someone. This wasn’t a happy room, this was a please, please let them be okay, I’ll do anything just let them be okay room.

“Even if you tried, I still don’t think you could’ve get Mikasa on Cyclone this year.” Armin’s voice was light when he spoke, like they weren’t sitting in a room waiting to see if their best friend was even gonna survive.

When Eren looked over to tell Armin there were quite a few more important things than a stupid roller coaster, Armin’s blue eyes were a little glossy as he stared out at the room. He was so relaxed and so supportive the whole time, Eren didn’t even think how much it would hurt Armin too. It was always the three of them from the day Eren met Mikasa. “She promised me she would, she never breaks a promise,” Eren said.

“Yeah, but she hates the small roller coasters, the small metal ones. How would she get on a large, wooden roller coaster?”

“Cause she’d be with me. She knows I’d never let anything…” his voice trailed off when he realized that right now, that wasn’t the case.

Arm reached over to put his hand on Eren’s back. “This isn’t your fault. No one can possibly know when these things happen. I know you’re driving yourself insane wishing you ignored her and went to pick her up this morning. You couldn’t have ever known.”

Leave it to Armin to see through Eren like that. His phone started to ring and Eren reached for his pockets but Armin had to pull it out of his own pocket to hand it to Eren. The name and picture on the screen had bile rising in his throat again.

“Hey, Levi.”

“I assume you’re at the hospital?” His voice sounded just as hurried and gruff as usual but Eren knew Levi; he was calling because he was worried.

“Yeah, with Armin and my dad.”

“I’m in the middle of a case right now and despite the fact I told the judge my sister was in critical care they’ve been waiting on this hearing today for months. I’m stuck here until the jury makes their decision. Tell her I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Of course.”

“Stop sulking, brat, take care of her.”

Sometimes talking to Levi was like talking to his own parents. “Yes, sir.”

Levi grunted. “Knock it off.”

Eren clicked off the call knowing that was all Levi wanted to say. The room went back to being quiet, Armin deciding there wasn’t much else he wanted to say and Eren not even knowing what he should stay. The minutes ticked on. Grisha came back, sitting next to Eren, asking periodic questions but for the most part Eren found himself staring at the floor.

It had to be a good sign if they were still in there right? If something had happened, they’d come out and say so. The fact she was still in there was good, it meant she was still alive. At least, that’s what he told himself. Eren didn’t think he could begin to imagine a world without Mikasa. He didn’t want to. She was always there. She was always right there with him. He hated this.

Armin offered to get everyone food at one point, but Eren still wasn’t hungry. All he wanted was for someone to open the door and tell him how she was, if he could see her. He just wanted to see her face. It seemed like it was five more hours when the doors finally opened, but it couldn’t have been that long because Armin still wasn’t back.

“The family of Mikasa Ackerman,” the nurse called out, looking down at the file in her hand.

Eren stood up so fast his head started to rush. The nurse met him and Grisha close to the doors leading back into where Eren assumed surgery and recovery were.

“I’m sorry for making you wait so long,” she said. “It was a bit rough but she’s stable now.”

“That’s wonderful,” Grisha said, reaching a hand out to hold onto Eren’s shoulder. Whether that was because Grisha was relieved or to keep Eren on his feet he wasn’t sure.

“We still need to watch her though. She got pretty hurt in that car.”

“Can we see her?” Eren asked, though the way his voice cracked he was surprised anything came out.

The nurse nodded. “For a little bit but because of the intensity of her injuries she needs to be under constant care. Follow me.”

“You go on, Eren. I’ll wait here for Armin,” Grisha said, gesturing for Eren to follow.

He quickly scurried through the double doors after the nurse who led him down a hallway. She was going on about broken bones, internal bleeding, broken ribs, punctures but Eren didn’t want to know what was wrong with Mikasa. He just wanted to know she was gonna be okay. Eren heard the beeps and whirlings of machines before he even stepped into the room the nurse led him to.

He really wished someone had come with him when he saw Mikasa’s body laying in that bed, hooked up to all sorts of machines, her body broken and bruised, her face cut up. He saw her in many different states, but this one, this was the worst. The nurse was gone when Eren turned around. He slowly walked to her bedside, taking a seat in one of the empty chairs.

The room was so stark white, so bland. It didn’t fit her. Mikasa was bright and loved to be outside, running or hiking or swimming or doing anything but laying in bed. This wasn’t her. He didn’t want it to be her but he knew those cheek bones, that dark hair, and even though they were closed he knew those eyes too.

“Hey, Mikasa,” he said softly, unsure if she could hear him or not. “I’ll have my mom bring you some flowers from her garden. Might make this stuffy room a little better, yeah?”

The machines beeped at him in response. Hearing her voice laughing this morning felt like it was years ago.

“How much you wanna bet Sasha dragged Connie on every single ride and he’s currently hurling his guts out in a trash can?”

She would’ve said, “At least Jean wouldn’t have any hair to hold back for him”. Eren’s heart clenched. What if he never heard her voice again? What if she never woke up? What if this was the last time he’d ever see her face? He took in a shaky breath. He knew he should be thinking positive but what if he never got to talk to her again?

The thought sent a horrible jolt into his chest. Of all the things, what if he never got to talk to her again? What if she never knew how special she was to him, how much he cherished her? God knows he sucked at showing it and he was even worse at telling her but he always felt it. Everything was better when she was by his side. No one ever came close to her, to how he felt about her, and he never told her.

Someday, he always told himself. When the time was right he’d tell her. Now she was laying in a bed broken in a million pieces and he never told her.

“Mikasa?” he asked quietly and leaded forward to brush his fingers against hers. “Can you hear me?”

It was a useless attempt he knew, but it still stung when there was no answer. He never told her. He had to stay here until she woke up, he had to tell her right when she woke up or he might really never get another chance. Then what would he do? What would he do without her? What was he without her?

“You doing okay, sweetheart?”

Eren looked up from over Mikasa’s bed to see his mom standing the doorway. “Did Dad call you?”

Carla nodded walking into the room, her eyes looking misty but it was clear she was trying to bite back her own emotions for him. Mikasa was always like a daughter to her; Eren knew it must hurt just as much for his mom. Carla placed a hand on Eren’s shoulder as she sat down next to him.

“I told her you’d bring her some flowers from the garden,” Eren said not looking away from Mikasa.

“Of course, some beautiful fall flowers will brighten up the room nicely.”

“Mom?”

“Yes, Eren?”

It was the question he was afraid to ask, but he had to ask someone. “Do you think she’ll be okay?”

Carla was quiet for a moment, her eyes on Mikasa’s bed. “I think Mikasa has always been a tough little thing. If anyone, I think she can get through this. She’s gonna need a lot of help with a recovery though. She’s gonna need you, Eren.”

“I’m right here.” Mikasa was always there for him for his whole life. There wouldn’t be a day he wouldn’t be there for her.

“I know you are.” Carla rubbed his back as they settled into a silence only interrupted by the machines.

“Where’s Dad and Armin?” Eren asked, realizing they hadn’t come in.

“Your father is speaking with Mikasa’s doctor and Armin went to call your friends to let them know.”

“I hate to interrupt.” A nurse with a few charts in her hands stepped into the room. “But we’re already going to have to take a look at her injuries for cleaning. We’ll have you called if her condition changes at all.”

“Okay, thank you,” Carla said standing to her feet and gesturing for Eren to do the same.

He couldn’t though, not when panic started gripping his chest. No, he couldn’t leave her…he couldn’t just leave her here alone.

“C’mon, Eren, she’s in good hands. Everything will be okay,” Carla said.

“You don’t know that,” he choked, his eyes looking up to her.

Carla bit her bottom lip. “Eren, please. Don’t make this harder than it has to be. I know this isn’t easy but we have to let the nurses and doctors do their jobs.”

“I can’t leave her, Ma.” His hands were gripping onto the chair. “I can’t.”

“I understand, I do.” Carla grabbed a hold of his shoulders, easing him out of the chair till he was on his feet. “We don’t have anything choice though. Your father will be here, he took an overnight shift to make sure he can keep an eye on her too. She won’t be alone.”

“No, you don’t understand,” he snapped. “I have to be here when she wakes up. I have to-” His voice choked, tears stinging his eyes. “If not how will she ever know I was here for her.”

“Sweetheart, I’m sure she knows you’d always be here for her.”

“No, she doesn’t because I never told her! I never-” The burning tears he kept back fell down his cheeks, a horrible ache throbbing in his chest. “I never told her.” The moment he closed his eyes he felt his mom pull him into a hug. He didn’t care if the nurse was still there, his head fell against Carla’s shoulder, sobs shaking his body to its very core.

“It’s gonna be okay, Eren, everything’s gonna be okay,” Carla said in a soothing tone though Eren could almost hear her own tears in her voice. “Mikasa always knew you cared for her. That I know.”

“I never told her that I loved her,” he cried, admitting the first for the first time to himself. Hearing them said aloud felt so right but nothing hurt more.

Carla rubbed his back in gentle circles. “Everyone who saw the way you looked at her knew you did, it wasn’t a secret. Now you know too, that’s what’s important. So you keep focusing on being positive for her sake so that when she does wake up you can tell her that, okay?”

Eren nodded against her.

“Okay, let’s go home. I’ll make something real nice for you and Armin for dinner tonight.”

Armin drove Eren and his car back to his house but most of it was a quiet blur. Carla did make them their favorite dinner but it missed some of its luster without Mikasa there to share it with them. Nothing seemed quite as bright when she wasn’t there. Carla gave Armin a ride back to campus but Eren opted to stay home, shutting himself in his room for the night.

Levi texted him at one point, saying they let him in to see her and that her condition hadn’t changed for the worse or better. Eren didn’t even have the energy to text him back, he just let the phone dim back down till it was dark and stared at the ceiling of his room.

Eren wondered if she was having nightmares. Mikasa always had nightmares; she still had them sometimes even.  When she lived with them for a brief amount of time, Eren couldn’t count the times he found her curled up in his bed. Even as kids he’d comfort her and help her fall asleep; it was something he still did when she’d call him from outside his dorm room in the middle of the night, not being able to sleep. He wondered if she was having nightmares tonight, ones he couldn’t comfort her from.

He was thankful to his mom who didn’t bother him even if she heard him crying.

Grisha came home Sunday and said they weren’t having visiting hours on Sunday due to her condition and Eren stayed home from school on Monday. Days felt like years when he couldn’t even see her, let alone know if she was okay. It wasn’t until Tuesday, when Eren skipped classes again, that his mom came up to his room her face bright for the first time in days.

“She’s awake,” Carla said, phone gripped tightly in her hand.

Eren wanted to drive but Carla insisted on doing it herself saying they didn’t need to get into an accident on the way to the hospital. But God help anyone who cut her off or lights that dared to change red in front of her. Eren still didn’t know how Mikasa’s condition really was (he had no idea how optimistic his father was being when he said she was getting better) but she was awake, that had to be something. It had to be.

Grisha was waiting outside her room when they were walking down the hallway.

“Did something happen?” Carla asked, her forehead furrowed.

“No,” he said, a small smile on his lips. “I just thought Eren would want to see her first.”

It took Eren a moment to realize his dad was teasing him, but Eren didn’t quite care at that moment. His heart was pounding in his chest as he turned the handle and opened the door. Mikasa had her eyes closed, but the tube that was helping her breathe last time was completely gone, the cuts on her face not as deep. The door clicked behind him and her eyes fluttered open.

Eren felt relief fill his body for the first time in days.

“Eren,” her voice was soft, hoarse but she had a light smile on her lips.

“Hey,” he said, walking over to her bed. There was so much he wanted to tell her, so much he needed to tell her, but now faced with her watching him he had no idea where to start. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I got hit by a truck.”

He felt a smile pulling at his lips despite himself. “That’s really not funny.”

She coughed a little bit but he could tell it was because she was trying to laugh. “I know, but I wanted to see you smile.”

Eren sat down on the edge of her bed, that part of himself that had been feeling so empty since he heard about the accident was feeling warm, almost full again.

“I’m sorry I ruined our trip,” she said, her eyes looking a little sad.

“That’s not important, you are.” He reached up to carefully brush some of her hair from her face.

“But we go every year. I always look forward to going with you and everyone.”

Here she was, after a horrible car accident worried because she made him miss going to an amusement park for Halloween. Eren really didn’t know how he didn’t realize he was in love long before this week. “Well, there’s still the whole month. We’ll just go later.”

She made a face. “They said I’m gonna have a very long recovery. I don’t know if I’ll be better then.”

“I’ll take you anyway.”

She did laugh that time and it was music to his ears. “I don’t think you can push a wheelchair through the haunted graveyard.”

“Then I’ll carry you.”

She eyed him. “You’d carry me though a forty-five minute attraction?”

“Mikasa,” he said. “I’d carry you anywhere.”

There was an adoring look in her eyes he almost didn’t recognize but he with a jolt, he realized that was the way she always looked at him. “You were here with me here in the hospital, the day it happened weren’t you?”

“Ah, yeah, I was, how’d you know?”

“I dreamed about it.” She was smiling brighter this time. “I talked to you in my dream.”

“Yeah, what did dream you tell dream me?”

She coughed a little and Eren knew he probably shouldn’t have made her talk so much, he just missed hearing her voice so much. “That I love you.”

Eren didn’t think he could breath. “What did dream me say?”

Mikasa shrugged her shoulders, her cheeks a little red. “I dunno, it would always cut out after that.”

“You know.” He leaned down a little into her, careful not to put any pressure on her. “I think I might know what it would be.”

“And what’s that?”

He heard her breath catch in her throat when he tilted his head down till his lips were pressed to hers. It nearly took his breath away when she kissed him back. “I love you too, don’t ever forget that.”


	12. Accident II

_**eremikadefensesquad** **:**  I need a sequel to that car crash AU. Preferably one that involves Eren carrying Mikasa through a haunted house._

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“I thought the days of blindfolding someone to take them somewhere were long over,” Mikasa said, though her tone was less of irritation and more of amusement.

Eren glanced over at her from the driver’s seat. He didn’t actually have a blindfold so it was just one of his dad’s ties tied around her eyes. “I’m bringing back romance, what can I say.”

“I’m pretty sure no one is gonna think that if they drive by.”

“I dunno, the older guy who stopped next to us at the stoplight gave me a thumbs up.”

Mikasa reached over and hit Eren right on the arm. He didn’t have to ask if the blindfold was loose, he knew that particular motion was well practiced over the years.

“It’s a surprise, Mikasa,” Eren laughed. “I can’t surprise you if you know what it is. I’m picturing you rolling your eyes right now, but we’re almost there. Eyes aside, are you doing okay?”

“I’m fine, you don’t need to worry so much,” she said, her tone a little softer.

Admittedly, he was a little concerned that blindfolding his girlfriend and putting her in a car not even a few months after being in a car accident herself wasn’t the most tactful but she told him it was okay. He tried to not do anything to startle her too much; slow stops, smooth gear shifts, not yelling at other cars which was probably the hardest to keep in control. She was much better in cars than she was since the accident, but he had a feeling a part of that was because he was the one who took her everywhere she needed to go; she was used to how he drove even before the accident but probably even more so now.

“Nah, that’s okay,” he said, down shifting his car so he could turn into the entrance to the amusement park, the bright lights of the signs, rides, and lights of the park in the distance glowing up the night sky. Normally they closed at sundown but every weekend in October they stayed open till some obscene hour in the morning so people could scare the hell out of each other in the park. It was a tradition of theirs to go every year and he wasn’t gonna let Mikasa miss that.

He pulled up to the attendant manning the parking lot booth and grabbed his wallet from his back pocket just as the attendant leaned out to say, “Fifteen dollars please.”

“Where are you taking me that you have to pay for parking?” Mikasa asked as Eren handed over a twenty.

“Why do you have to be so nosey?”

The attendant gave Eren back a five before he started to drive slowly into the rather full parking lot. Not that it surprised him; it was the last weekend before Halloween.

Mikasa was probably rolling her eyes again but she was still smiling.

Eren didn’t think he knew anyone stronger than the girl sitting next to him. Just a few weeks ago she couldn’t even walk, and now she could stand up and take some steps, she could even walk pretty far with help. Her legs were still weak from being hurt but no one would ever know, she never once complained and she always still smiled no matter what. She was amazing.

He pulled into a parking spot and turned off the car which probably alerted Mikasa they were here. Before she could ask where they were again he slipped out of the driver’s side and walked over to open her door, leaning down towards her. “Can you close your eyes if I take the blindfold off?”

“Okay,” she laughed and it was clear she was excited to see where they were herself.

Eren reached in to pull the tie off her head and sure enough she still had her eyes closed. He secured one of his arms around her back and waist before sliding the other carefully under her legs in the familiar hold to help get her out of the car. Once she was up in his arms, facing the distant gate to the park Eren leaned in to her face, nudging his head against hers. “Go ahead.”

Her eyes fluttered open. He watched her register where they were, and saw her face go from surprised to shocked, her hands over her mouth. “Eren,” she said, her eyes wide. “I can’t. I can’t go on any of the rides.”

“Bullshit,” he said, carefully reaching down as he balanced Mikasa against him to lock his car. He slipped his keys in his pocket before grabbing a hold of her again, starting the walk to the front gate. “I talked to your physical therapist; she said you were perfectly fine to go to the haunted graveyard. Provided you have a handsome caretaker to help you through which you do happen to have.”

She didn’t even bother to hit him in some way for that one, she just leaned in until her lips were pressed to his, taking his breath away. “You didn’t have to do this,” she said, resting her head against his.

“I wasn’t gonna have you miss the best part of the year,” Eren said, following in line behind the rest of the incoming crowd to go to the park.

“Did Levi actually agree to it?”

“C’mon, Levi trusts me just fine with you. It also helps that he thinks I just took you out to a late movie.”

“Eren,” Mikasa laughed, nudging her forehead into his head.

“Of course Levi knows. Everybody knew, surprised they could keep a secret so well?”

“Incredibly.”

Eren snorted as he carried her into the main area of the entrance to the park.

“Don’t you need to get the wheelchair out of the car?” Mikasa asked looking back to the parking lot.

“I got it covered already,” he said which she didn’t look like she quite bought but she didn’t ask again.

There were fog machines hidden somewhere, filling the whole area with a gray mist, eerie music playing over the speakers; Halloween was the best. “Hey, remember when we used to go trick or treating around our neighborhood?” he asked as he got in line to pay for admission.

“Remember? We didn’t stop till we were almost done with high school because you didn’t want to stop.”

He chose to ignore that comment. “Remember one year when we were in middle school and I broke my arm a few weeks before Halloween?”

Mikasa nodded. “Armin and I dressed up like mummies too so you wouldn’t feel bad.”

“Did you not think I’d never do the same for you?”

“Of course I did. I just didn’t think you’d go through all this trouble for one night that we can go to next year.”

“Yeah, you’re a bit of trouble aren’t you?”

Mikasa kicked at his side but between her still weak legs and the fact she was smiling he knew it was never actually meant to hurt him. It was never a question in his mind what he was gonna do to make sure she could still share this part of the year with him and their friends. He knew it the moment he saw the look in her eyes when she apologized for ruining their plans. There was nothing that he wouldn’t do to make sure she still got to have fun while she was recovering from the asshole to ran into her car and nearly made Eren lose the most important person in his life.

“Hello,” the attendant smiled as Eren took a step up to the counter.

“Hey,” he said trying to reach for his wallet while holding onto Mikasa still. He had gotten pretty good at doing most things while taking care of her but some things were physically impossible. “You okay if I put you down for a second?” Eren asked.

Mikasa nodded and as gently as he could he let her feet hit the ground. She was pretty okay to stand on her own bit but he still kept one arm around her just in case she needed the help.

“Two for the Haunted Graveyard, please,” he said as he slipped his card under the glass.

The attendant went to do whatever it is she did to make the payment go through and passed him back his card and two wristbands. “Are you gonna need any assistance for her?” the attendant asked, watching Eren pick up Mikasa in his arms again.

“Thank you but they’ve got it covered.” Eren was already carrying Mikasa through the gates when he felt her eyes on him.

“They?” she asked.

Eren nodded over towards the first area in the park before it opened up into the actual rides and shops. Everything was decorated appropriately and with dim lights but Eren could still see his friends standing off to the side of the area waiting for them. “They.”

“You didn’t,” she said but really she didn’t sound too mad as she stared over at Armin pushing a park issued wheel chair over for her; Sasha, Connie, and Jean walking with Armin.

“We had to pretend Connie was injured to even have them give it to us,” Armin said stopping in front of Eren.

“I offered to break Connie’s legs for him to make it more authentic,” Jean said earning a shove from Connie.

“I opposed, sorry, Mikasa. I love you and all, but I like my legs.”

Mikasa laughing was always music to Eren’s ears and she couldn’t stop even as he crouched down to help her into the wheelchair. “How did all of you keep this a secret?” she asked, her eyes bright under the dim lights of the park.

“We didn’t tell Connie till we were already here,” Sasha said, leaning down so her face was near Mikasa’s.

“We didn’t even tell you till yesterday,” Armin snorted.

Sasha ignored him. She clapped her hands together as she straightened back up. “Whose ready to get chased with chainsaws!”

“You, they always chase you,” Connie said. “No matter how many times we tell you not to scream cause it just eggs them on.”

“Oh, do we wanna talk about screaming, Connie? Is that what we wanna do?”

“Shut up, Sash, you promised you wouldn’t bring that up.”

Eren rolled his eyes when he saw Mikasa watching him.

“You really didn’t have to do all of this,” she said, her eyes looking just a little bit misty.

“I know, but I wanted to. It’s not the same without you, so we weren’t going without you,” Eren said before he leaned up to press a kiss to her lips. He went to stand up since it was pretty clear by the way Connie was tugging on Jean’s jacket they were getting ready to get going but Mikasa stopped him, her hand grabbing onto the collar of his shirt.

“But they aren’t gonna let me in,” Mikasa said. “Not in the wheelchair.”

“I got it covered, okay?”

Mikasa didn’t look convinced but she nodded.

He stood up to his feet and took the handles of the wheelchair from Armin. “Alright,” Eren said. “We’re ready to get chased by chainsaws.”

Sasha let out a cheer as they started to make their way down to where the entrance was.

They all had been doing this since they were kids though Eren couldn’t quite remember when they started it. It just happened every year. His parents used to come with them and eventually they stopped coming in, and then stopped driving them as well. It was stupid really, a little haunted house at an amusement park but as he looked over at his friends standing in line with him, down at Mikasa who was smiling as Armin talked to her, there wasn’t anything stupid about it.

Eren almost lost her. He almost lost the most important person in his life. Nothing this simple would ever be stupid again. These were the moments he cherished the most. If Mikasa had died that day, he knew he’d never be able to step foot in this place again. She was still here though; they could still do this together.

An attendant gestured for them to come forward and Eren pushed the wheelchair over the gravel of the entrance to the graveyard. He led her off to the side where a few other wheelchairs were and came to stand in front of her. Eren held out his hands to her. “Are you ready?”

“I can’t walk the whole way,” she said, her voice a little hushed. “It’s a 45 minute walk.”

“Do you think I’d make you do that?”

“No,” she said.

“Then trust me, c’mon. I got you.”

She placed her hands in his and let him help her up so she was standing in front of him. Eren turned, standing by her side and wrapped one arm around her waist, the other holding her hand and arm tightly.

“You need any help?” Armin asked, the others standing nearby.

“I got it,” Eren said. “But you might want to go on ahead, we might be slow going at first.”

“We’ll stay behind you guys,” Jean said. “We’re in no rush.”

Sasha clicked her tongue. “Unless the chainsaws come out.”

“Okay, just take it slow alright?” Eren said, leaning his head against Mikasa’s as she started to take a few small steps at a time. People filled in around them but that was fine, as long as they didn’t bump into her Eren really didn’t care. He also suspected that’s why all his friends were walking behind them at the same slow pace; so that no one would get caught off guard by one slow moving person and walk into her.

They passed over the archway that lead them into what was made to look like an abandoned medieval church with high stone walls and pillars, with narrow walkways and maybe a dead monk or two. Eren glanced behind him to make sure they were far enough away that the front attendants couldn’t see him anymore. People were still moving all around them but Eren stopped as close to the wall as he could.

“Alright, Armin wanna help her?” Eren said, letting go of Mikasa so he could couch down in front of her.

“What’re you doing?” Mikasa asked.

He extended both his arms behind him gesturing to her. “This isn’t the first time I’ve ever carried you, Mik, c’mon, Armin’ll help you.” If she was surprised or hesitant Eren couldn’t see but he stayed perfectly still until he felt her body against his back, her arms around his neck. Armin helped her get her legs into Eren’s waiting hands and when he felt like she was secure enough, he stood up, taking her with him.

“There,” he said, turning his head slightly to her. “Told you I got it covered.”

“You can’t carry me through this whole thing,” she said, but her voice didn’t sound too disbelieving.

“Do you even know who I am?” Eren snorted, starting to walk at the same pace as the rest of the people around them. “I told you I’d get you here even if I had to carry you the whole time.”

Mikasa was quiet but he felt her head lean up against his, a small kiss on his cheek. “Thank you.”

“You don’t ever have to thank me for this.”

The sound of a distant chainsaw caused Sasha scream behind them, making Jean reach and arm around her neck, putting her in a headlock. “Will you relax,” he said. “We haven’t even started yet.”

There was another archway, leading them out of the church and into a graveyard a path from there leading back into the woods. A few people were lingering in the graveyard ready to scare, a guy with a chainsaw off in the distance.

“Can I scream now?” Sasha asked.

“Yep, be my guest,” Jean said letting her go, though now he had Connie clutched onto his other arm.

“You guys ready?” Armin asked, coming to walk next to Eren.

“What do you say?” Eren asked, glancing to the girl on his back. “Ready?”

Mikasa gave him a smile that took his breath away. “Ready.”


	13. Club

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T for Language and Slight Sexual Situations.

_**Anonymous:** I know this seems out of character, but could you do something where Eren and Mikasa meet in a club? (or some sort of place where they'd be dancing in close proximity ;3)_

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_Reikuyoshin also drew some[gorgeous art for this fic](http://reikuyoshin.tumblr.com/post/142613713376/so-i-finally-finished-this-i-have-been-working-on)! It’s so precious ;-;_

* * *

Eren couldn’t quite believe he let Jean talk him into this. Eren couldn’t believe he let Jean talk him into anything for that matter but here they were, sitting off to the side in a crowded, loud, and dark club. To be fair it was Connie who really wanted to come. He met a girl or some shit last time but forgot to get her number. So he came back to see if she was here again and didn’t want to come alone. Eren said no, he didn’t do clubs and he definitely didn’t do dancing but then again Jean did promise to pay for all the drinks Eren wanted as long as he came along.

Tipping back his second drink that night, he couldn’t really say it was  _that_  bad of a deal. Well, save for the atmosphere. He was pretty sure if he put his drink on the table it was gonna vibrate right off with how loud the bass in here was. Connie was out looking for the girl of his dreams he met at a club leaving Eren and Jean to sit at the booth alone drinking.

Jean’s lips were moving like he was trying to talk to Eren but hell if he could hear anything. How were you even supposed to talk to someone if you met them here? He was well aware he sounded like a bitter old man, but after his long days all he really wanted to do was go home and fall asleep to Netflix.

He gestured to his ears and leaned in over the table, Jean doing the same.

“Are you gonna do anything but sit there and look miserable?” Jean asked.

“I’m not miserable, but I am gonna sit here since the other alternatives are meander around aimlessly looking for someone better looking than you to shout conversation at or go near the sweatfest down in the dance floor and get groped by someone I probably don’t want to get groped by.”

Jean shrugged in semi agreement. “At least talk to a girl, do something. When was the last time you even had a date?”

“Hey, doctor remember?” Eren gestured to himself. “I don’t exactly have a lot of time to go out.”

“I’m a cop, you ass, and I still have time to date.” Jean rolled his eyes. “But if you just wanna sit here and get wasted then I’m gonna go talk to that gorgeous girl who keeps looking over here.”

Alright, that might’ve gotten Eren’s attention a little more. He quickly turned around but there were quite a few girls all around the area behind him. Some were standing near the bar, some were sitting down, some standing up, some heading down to the dance floor but none seemed to be looking over here. He was about to turn around and kick Jean in the shin for making him look when Eren met the gaze of a dark eyed girl.

She was sipping on some tall glass of some drink Eren didn’t know. All he did know was she was gorgeous, her black hair hitting her shoulders, and the color of her dress making her eyes stand out even more. She covered her mouth with her hand when she noticed he was looking at her and quickly turned around to some people she was with; a tall brown haired woman and a petite girl with blonde hair. They were laughing as the girl looked back and forth to them but a group of people stepped in Eren’s line of vision and blocked them from his view.

Shit. Well, there went that.

Eren turned back around to see Jean giving him that dumbass knowing smirk Jean learned from Armin. “What?” Eren grunted, putting his drink back up to his lips.

“She’s been staring at you for the better part of a half hour, idiot.” Jean actually did kick him in the shin. “Go talk to her.”

“We’re not in high school any more. I can get myself a date thanks.”

“For fucks sake, Eren, go talk to her or I really will and tell her you’re not interested but I sure as hell am.”

“Fine,” Eren grunted, tipping his drink back and drinking down the rest before hitting the empty cup against the table.

“You fucking owe me.”

Eren decided flipping Jean off as he walked away was probably the best response he could’ve given his friend. He walked through the crowd to where he had seen the girl standing before but when he got to an area where he could actually see her again she was gone. Her two friends were there but not her.

Well, that was that Eren supposed. He already missed his chance. Wasn’t that the story of his life? With a sigh he went to turn around but the blonde on the bar stool caught his eye.

She was waving at him to get his attention and when she seemed sure she had it, she started pointed down to where the dance floor was. She gave him a thumbs up to make sure he got the message.

Okay, so the girl went to the dance floor. Like he was ever gonna find her there. He waved to the blonde girl to let her know he heard her loud and clear. Any other time Eren would’ve just gone back to his seat, he didn’t want to touch that dance floor with a ten foot pole let along squeezing through it but Jesus, she was gorgeous. Clearly she must’ve wanted something to do with him if her friend knew enough to send him after her.

He started down the steps that led to the dance floor. The lights were a little dimmer down in the area, just a few bright ones that were moving around all the bodies dancing to the music. Granted, he used the word dancing lightly. It was more like people having dry sex with each other. Eren wasn’t one to judge but he felt there were better ways to get off than grinding up on strangers in the middle of a crowded dance floor. Maybe he just wasn’t drunk enough.

He looked around the people handing out around the area, hoping she was lurking on the edges but he didn’t see those beautiful eyes anywhere. Fuck. He was gonna have to go in there. Well, he did come all this way for her might as well finish out the search. He also didn’t want to hear any lip from Jean for losing her so easily. Eren slid in between some people dancing to start maneuvering through the moving crowd. He must’ve looked like he wasn’t there for dancing because no one bothered him, save for bumping into him constantly. Eren looked through the dark area but he couldn’t see her face anywhere. He supposed she could’ve already found someone else. This was stupid. What was he even doing here? He wasn’t good at shit like this.

Someone tapped his shoulder and Eren instantly tried to move out of the way though he couldn’t go very far here. When no one tried to get around him, he turned his head back to see what was going on.

She was standing right there, small smile on her lips as her fingers played with the edges of the red scarf she was wearing.

He could only stare dumbly at her; at the fact she was right there behind him. Real smooth, Eren.

She leaned in till her lips were at his ear, her warm breath sending shivers down his spine. “Do you dance?”

He nearly snorted but he tilted his head down a bit more to her level. “Not at all.

“Want me to show you?”

No, I don’t wanna embarrass myself like that but the thought of her dancing had other words coming from his mouth. “Yes.”

She didn’t step away from him but started to let her body move to the beat playing.

He felt her every motion brush by him. She was close to just barely feel her dancing against him but not close enough to actually be touching. Her hips swayed and her body rolled to the music, her head nodding a bit. She wasn’t just gorgeous, she was adorable too.

She gestured with her head to him. She wanted him to dance too.

Eren did snort that time and shook his head. “You keep going,” he said close to her ear. “You look much better than I would.”

She laughed a little and he thought she was gonna listen to him for a moment but she instead reached her hands out to grab his hips. She pushed them back and forth, mirroring her motions. “Like that,” she said with a grin.

Well, he obviously wasn’t getting out of the dancing element of this situation but could he really complain? Eren decided he might as well give her as much as she was giving him. He grabbed a hold of her hips and pulled her in sharply to him, still trying to match her motions. He tried to bit back a grin when he heard her gasp against his ear. “Like that?”

The girl reached her hands up around his neck, fingers playing with the hair at his nape. It sent shivers down his spine.

“I’d like to know the name of the first girl I’ve danced with at a club,” Eren said and he felt her laugh against him.

“Mikasa,” she said, her hips still moving in rhythm with his. She gave him a look like it was his turn.

“Eren.”

“Nice to meet you, Eren.” She pressed her chest up a bit more against his.

“Oh no, the pleasure is all mine.”

Mikasa glanced up at him again, looking a little bashful this time. “I normally don’t do stuff like this.”

“Go to clubs? Or dance with guys who don’t know how to?”

She laughed again. “Both. My friends…they kinda saw me looking at you.”

“The blonde and the brunette?”

“Yeah, they told me to…” She paused and rolled her hips up against his, making his hands grasp down on her. “Try this.”

Mikasa very well maybe the death of him. He must’ve saved someone really powerful in the world of Karma at the hospital or something to deserve this.

Her eyes met his and she leaned into his ear. “Did it work?”

Did it work? He didn’t even think yes was a good enough answer. Eren instead decided to put himself out there just like she had in the first place. It was only fair to show he had just as much interest in her. He twisted her around in his arms and wrapped them around her waist, pulling her back into his chest. “Oh, yeah,” he said, leaning his head near her ear.

Mikasa reached her arms up around the back of his neck, pulling his head closer to her as she rolled her ass into his hips.

Yeah, the death of his seemed pretty accurate. He slipped his hands down to her hips, holding her tightly and grinded into her. The cry that fell from her lips did absolutely nothing to hide his ever growing erection but she didn’t seem to mind considering she kept rolling her hips back into his.

“So,” he said, pressing a kiss behind her ear. That he knew she liked when he heard her gasp again. “What do you do for a living?”

Mikasa laughed, her head rolling back against his shoulder.

“I just figure were gotten plenty friendly here.” He dipped his hands a bit to her thighs as she gave him a hard roll of her ass right up his arousal. It was his turn to groan. “Why not be friendly in other aspects too.”

“I can’t argue with that.” She sighed when he pressed another kiss lower down her neck. “I’m a teacher.”

“Of what?” He nudged her scarf down a bit more to reach some sensitive skin.

“High school biology.”

Eren let out a low whistle. “Tough as nails you must be.”

She reached up to tangle her fingers in his hair. “You?”

Medical doctor. I work in the ER of the local hospital.” He felt a shiver go through her body when he nipped at her skin.

Mikasa turned her body back around to face him, pressing herself against him and a grin on her lips. “Did I just hit the jackpot?”

He laughed as he looked down at her bright eyes. It had been a long time since he wanted to be around a girl like he wanted to be around her, as brief of a time as he had known her. He really wasn’t sure if it was her or if it was him but all he knew was he was kissing her. Her fingers were running through his hair, his hands keeping her hips right into his and he was kissing her.

Despite the fact they had been grinding on each other for a while the kiss was soft, sweet. It left him wanting more when Mikasa pulled away.

She met his gaze again, grin back on her lips. “I don’t live that far away.”

Eren thought his heart might stop. “Me either.”

He didn’t know what to expect when she took his head and started to lead him to the exit if the club but he didn’t care. If he got to see more of Mikasa he really didn’t care. On the other hand, that meant he’d have to thank Jean for making Eren come to the club in the first place.

Mikasa laughed aloud when they hit the warm summer air of the city. It was so much less crowded out here with fresh air and a sky over head but he was still finding it hard to breath. Eren took her hand and they started walking down the sidewalk but to where he wasn’t quite sure.

Alright, it’d be okay seeing Jean’s smug ass face for this.

 


	14. D&D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very much based off my old D&D experiences. I thought of it because we had a character named Diamond in it, so the Spades and Diamond kingdoms just gave ma a Dungeons and Dragons feel haha Also yes, I did shoot people in the ass for rolling a nat 1 and yes, Jason did lock us in a room with a boss for also rolling a nat 1 lmao I miss playing so much ;-;

_**Anonymous:**  Hmm, an au in which Mikasa was from the Spades kingdom and Eren from the Diamond? Well, I have no idea about the story, honestly. I just felt like troubling you, actually. Haha, kidding. So I guess I'll just let you surprise me?_

* * *

Mikasa sat waiting in the room she had purchased at the Inn, her fingers fidgeting, and her eyes glancing towards the door what felt like every six seconds. She tried to take calming breaths but nothing was working; she was nervous. She had one lantern lit in the corner of the room so it didn’t look like she was sitting here in the dark when it wasn’t too late out yet but the curtains over the windows were closed tightly so that no one could peer in. Mikasa only hoped her message was sent successfully and not intercepted. If it was, a much different fate awaited her when that door opened.

She knew she was taking so many risks by disguising herself and hiding here but she needed to see him, it had already been too long. Mikasa reached up to pull her hood closer around her head, just in case someone did look in the window. Maybe she was being paranoid; she made sure no one followed her from her country to this neutral town but she could never be sure. It’s not like her family didn’t have access to the stealthiest of guards to follow her without her ever noticing. Granted she had been escaping her country borders since she was a kid so she hoped she was pretty adept at ditching her guards by now.  

There was a knock on the door, at first it nearly made her jump out of her skin but the knocking formed a pattern that she knew like the back of her hand. Mikasa ran to the door, unlocking it and swinging it open. The figure was also dressed in a dark cloak, hood over their face as they stepped in, quickly shutting the door behind them.

Mikasa knew it couldn’t be dangerous anymore; she knew that form, and she knew those bright eyes looking at her. Eren made it okay; before she could say anything, his hands reached up to her face pulling her close as he pressed his lips to hers. Mikasa melted into him, her arms reaching up to wrap around him.

“You weren’t followed were you?” he murmured, leaving a trail of light kisses against her jaw.

She shook her head. “No, were you?”  

“No, thank the gods,” he sighed. He reached up to drop his hood before running his hands through Mikasa’s hair, her hood falling back before he took her hand, flopping himself down onto the bed.

“Do you think it’s safe?” she asked as she followed him, laying down to rest her head against his chest.

“As safe as it’s always been.”

“Do you think we have to run away?”

She heard him sigh. It was something she thought about often, and something she was sure he thought about too. How else could they escape their fighting countries and live in peace together like they always wanted?

“I don’t know. The royal family of the Spades are practically ninjas, how you get away from them all the time is beyond me.”

“Because they’re  _my_  family,” she shrugged, though there was a smile pulling at her lips. “I know their weaknesses.”

“And because you’re a ninja yourself.” He poked her in the side, making her laugh.

“It’s not like the royal family of the Diamonds is much better. I’ve never seen a guard more lavishly dressed and fitted with weapons I’ve never seen before.”

Eren snorted. “You just have to be good at running. They don’t all have good aim, trust me. Besides I’ve been around them my whole life. I know how to ditch my family as well.”

“Let’s run away then.” She looked up to see Eren already staring down at her. “Our families will never let us be together. Let’s run away to the Southern Islands. No one will ever find us there, we can be happy.”

He reached a hand up to her cheek. “Tonight?”

“Is that okay?”

Eren leaned in to press a kiss to her lips. “That’s perfect.” He pushed himself up of the bed with Mikasa following him. “We should probably leave tonight under the cover of dark and before our families know we’re gone.” He carefully peered out the window, probably to see if anyone suspicious was out there.

“Make me a hide check, Eren.”

“C’mon, Armin, really?” Eren groaned, hitting his hand lightly on the wooden table they were sitting around in his basement.

Armin, who was sitting at the head of the table and his laptop open in front of him, only smiled. “It’s not my fault Mikasa made her family a band of ninjas.”

“Fine,” Eren sighed picking up his appropriate dice and tossing it over the plastic map, nearly hitting his and Mikasa’s figures out of the box where the inn room was on the map. “Uhh, 10 plus…” he looked down at his notebook. “A 7 for hide so 17.”

Armin reached for his own dice and rolled, glancing back to his laptop before making a face.

“Armin,” Mikasa said, knowing that look all too well. It generally never meant anything good was about to come from their DM.

“It wasn’t a bad roll,” Armin said putting his hands up in defense. “But Mikasa, you made your family _ninjas_ and not just any kind, elite, royal ninjas. Oh yeah they saw him, Eren would’ve had to roll a nat 20 not to have been seen. You two better do something and fast, that’s all I’m saying.”

Eren rubbed his hands over his face before looking back to the board. “Is there a back way out?”

“Guess you’ll have to leave the room to find out.”

Eren made some kinda strangled noise that made Mikasa laugh even though they were possibly in a lot of danger. “Okay, we’re gonna leave the room and try to see if there is a back exit or back window.”

Armin nodded. “Both of you roll for move silently. You’re a rogue and a ninja, you both should be fine but go ahead.”

Mikasa reached out to grab her dice while Eren did the same but feet pounding down the stairs distracted the both of them.

“Hey guys!” Sasha breathed, while Connie next to her was doubled over and Jean following still on the stairs. “Sorry we’re late. We missed the bus so we had to run here.” She took another heavy breath. “What’d we miss?”

“Eren and Mikasa decided to run away together but not without getting spotted by her family so now they are on the run or they probably won’t be very happy lovers anymore,” Armin summarized quickly and not without a smile.

“Devious DM you are,” Sasha laughed pulling up a seat to the table.

“Don’t worry guys!” Connie said brightly, plopping down in his chair. “You have a fabulous ranger, cleric, and monk downstairs of the inn watching your back!”

“Connie, the last time we needed your help you rolled a 1 and knocked yourself out on the sheathed sword of the sellsword after us,” Eren said dryly.

“Oh like you’ve never rolled a 1 and screwed everything up,” Jean rolled his eyes, taking a seat next to Armin. “Might I remind you of that time you were trying to pick a lock and broke said lock essentially locking us in was a very, very angry abomination.”

Mikasa had to put her hand on Eren’s chest to stop him from lunging over the table at Jean.

“At least  _I_  can hit my targets,” Sasha said pulling out her notebook.

Connie snorted. “Except for when  _you_ shot me in the ass.”

“One time! That was one time!”

“Twice,” Jean grunted. “You got me in the ass too.”

“Who is perfect here!”

Mikasa tried to cover her laughter with her hand but she felt Eren nudge his shoulder against, his fingers drumming lightly on her thigh. Connie, Jean, and Sasha were still bickering while Armin tried to get them to get settled so he could add their characters into the rest of the story for today. Mikasa put her hand over Eren’s lacing her fingers against his.

God was she glad they didn’t actually live in rivaling countries under Armin’s power with only Connie and Sasha to save them.

 


	15. Cosplay

_**Anonymous:**  How about cosplay au where at a convention Eren meets fellow cosplayer Mikasa. It seems they chose to cosplay each others favorite characters, that also happen to make up the least liked couple in the fandom or two dorks fall in love while cosplaying a unpopular ship Au._

* * *

 

It wasn’t too unusual for Mikasa to be the first one up in the hotel room. Annie didn’t cosplay so she tended to just sleep in till she felt like getting up, and Connie and Sasha were cosplayers who never got up till at least noon even on con days. Mikasa didn’t mind too much, it left the bathroom free for her to get dressed in her own costume, do her wig and make up without feeling like she was in the way of anyone else trying to get ready.

She decided to keep it simple today. After all, it was Friday and it was in the middle of August heat; she’d rather be comfortable than have heat stroke. Mikasa flipped at her short, light brown wig in the mirror, getting it to lay where she wanted it to before looking over her whole costume. It was very simple, and even simpler to make; just a form fitting cropped white and red tank top with a short blue skirt and a low hanging belt that also doubled as a holster for her tonfa blaster props when she wasn’t holding them.

It was a costume she had for at least a year but Mikasa always liked bring Elie with her in the summer just because it kept her cool and the people who did remember  _Rave Master_ were always more than happy when they recognized her. Granted to this day she never ran into another  _Rave Master_ cosplayer but it was a pretty large con so it was always possible. She figured she’d see far more of whatever was cosplay popular at the moment but there were always some gems mixed in there too.

Mikasa grabbed her bag she left on the bed Annie was still sleeping in, double checked to make sure she had her phone, badge, and room key before heading out the door and to the elevators. The nice thing about this particular con was the fact all the hotels were close by, only one actually attached to the con center, so from her hotel just across the street she didn’t have to wait at all for an elevator. She just got in it and headed straight down to the lobby. Of course, it was rather early in the morning as well.

She walked out of the hotel, leading her right to the street the convention center was on. Now that she was outside there were a lot more people making the trek down the busy street, most of whom were in costumes she recognized and some just hanging out in regular clothes enjoying the nice day. Mikasa crossed the street with some others who were waiting and followed the sidewalk to the con center.

Sasha never really liked that Mikasa tended to wander off by herself but it was what she generally preferred. She loved her friends, and would gladly meet up with them later but she liked to have this time to herself to just enjoy the convention and not be on anyone’s clock. Besides, Mikasa could handle herself if she needed to; she shut down any inappropriate comments or behavior rather effectively if anyone asked her.

Mikasa pulled out her badge for the guards so she could step through the doors. She sighed happily once she was surrounded by the rest of the con goers in the center. There was nothing like the feeling of stepping into a convention. She started down the steps to begin her first of countless laps around the area. Annie tended to spend her whole day in panels which was fine, but Mikasa much preferred walking around and seeing everyone’s cosplays and just enjoying the atmosphere.

“Elie!” Someone called out nearby catching her attention. It was two girls, one holding a camera up. “May I?”

Mikasa nodded and pulled her props from her belt giving them the familiar fighting pose so they could snap the picture. The girls said their excited thanks and scurried off into the crowd. Well, that was quick. Mikasa tucked her prop weapons away again before moving towards the escalators to get away from the atrium, knowing how cramped it was gonna get real soon.

She had other costumes that got her more attention, ones that were more elaborate, more well-known but there was something about wearing her favorite characters no matter how little loved they were. She walked through the first building and all the way across the skywalk into the next building without getting stopped again. When she was younger it might’ve bothered her, that no one appreciated the work she did but these days she didn’t take it as an offense. Mikasa just looked forward to running into the people who did recognize her and who were genuinely happy to see her costume.

She paused off to the side of the large room where registration was still running wondering where she wanted to wander to next. The dealer’s room wasn’t open yet and when it did, it would probably take an hour for the line to clear out so she could walk right in if she waited a little longer. Maybe she could grab some breakfast at Starbucks nearby, provided the line wasn’t ridiculously long yet.

“Elie! Wait!”

Mikasa stopped in her tracks, turning around to see a blond boy trying to squeeze his way through a crowd to get to her. It took her back a little bit; no one was ever that desperate to take a picture of her regardless of the cosplay.

He finally managed to break away, jogging over to where she was standing.

She quickly scanned her memory of faces to make sure it wasn’t someone she had met before but she couldn’t ever recall meeting a boy with such bright blue eyes, his blonde hair pulled back in a short ponytail. He had a camera around his neck and was dressed in just some casual clothes telling her he was obviously a photographer.

“I’m sorry if I scared you,” he laughed lightly, trying to catch his breath when he stood in front of her.

“Oh no, not at all. I’m always happy when people actually know my character’s name,” Mikasa smiled lightly at him, used to sometimes making small talk.

“I actually have the biggest favor in the world to ask you. Feel free to say no if you’re busy but I had to come after you when I saw you walk by. My best friend is actually cosplaying  _Rave Master_ right now and he would probably lose his shit if you came to get a picture with him.”

Mikasa blinked at him for a moment. There was someone else cosplaying her series here? “Of course,” she nodded. “I’d love to.”

“Oh, thank you so much, um…” The boy gestured towards her.

“Mikasa,” she answered.

“I’m Armin, c’mon, I’ll take you to him,” he nodded towards the way he came and Mikasa followed. “You look great by the way, you look just like her.”

“Thank you, that’s very sweet of you to say.” The crowds were starting to come in now but Armin always made sure neither of them got separated, it was actually very kind. He seemed like a nice guy.

“We actually sometimes have a group for  _Rave_.”

“I have never even seen another cosplay for it in person,” she laughed, avoiding a cosplayer who nearly ran into her.

Armin let out a low whistle. “Yeah, it’s pretty rare I’ll give you that.”

“Who do you cosplay?”

Armin laughed and held up the camera. “I prefer to be behind the lens not in front of it but they make me some cosplays sometimes.” Once they reached the first building again, Armin held the door for her leading her outside. “I’m sorry for taking you on such a hike. You sure you’re free?”

Mikasa nodded. “I like to get up before my friends and wander, I wasn’t busy.”

“Thank you again for this, you’re gonna make his convention.”

“It’s my pleasure.” Despite the fact meeting strangers did make her nervous more often than not, she couldn’t help but smile. These were people who actually knew the series, and one of them was even cosplaying it too. Even if she was going to be around strangers at least they had something in common; she could always leave if she was uncomfortable.

“Are you from around here?” Armin asked as he led her through the walkways behind and over some of the buildings; she knew he was taking her down to the fountains which was fine, it wasn’t too hot out quite yet.

“A few states away. Are you?”

“Quite a few states away,” Armin laughed. “We flew in for this one.”

That was some dedication she wanted to say but she didn’t want to come off as rude. She went to quite a few cons but they were all driving distance for Connie who lugged them all around in his van.

“This way,” Armin smiled leading her down some stairs to the front of fountains. There were some cosplayers hanging out near the water; some costumes she recognized, some she didn’t but one large sword stood out more than the others.

Her breath caught in her throat and she almost froze on the spot. This guy wasn’t just cosplaying anyone in  _Rave,_ it was Haru. He was her character’s future husband, no big deal or anything.

“Eren!” Armin called walking down the last few steps that lead out front, Mikasa following behind.

The guy with the large sword balancing on his shoulder and white wig styled so well Mikasa thought it was his real hair at first was talking to two sailor scouts. He didn’t look over and Armin had to cup his hands over his mouth to shout Eren’s name again. When he finally looked over Mikasa actually did freeze on the spot. While she hadn’t recognized his name, she did recognize his face; she had seen his pictures online before. She didn’t buy too much into the whole popular cosplayer thing; they were all just people who liked to dress up as fictional characters. That didn’t mean she didn’t feel a little bit nervous in the presence of someone who was rather well known for his craftsmanship on his props.

“What took you so long, buddy? I thought your shoot ending like ten minutes ago?” Eren called back. It really didn’t help Mikasa’s nerves that he was pretty gorgeous too.

“I found someone I thought you’d like to meet.” Armin reached behind, seemingly knowing Mikasa had stopped walking, to grab a hold of her hand and pull her forward some.

Eren turned around to face her so fast he nearly hit his friend who was wearing an Amertis military uniform in the face with Haru’s massive sword.

“Watch it with that thing, idiot,” the guy mumbled, cigarette between his lips.

Eren didn’t pay any mind though, he was already walking over a huge grin on. Even though her heart was pounding in her chest she couldn’t help but smile back at him. “Hi, wow, you look perfect.”

Between his bright turquoise eyes and his toothy smile, Mikasa found herself reaching up to fiddle with her wig as her nerves were getting the best of her. “Thank you, so do you.”

Eren waved her off as he slipped the sword’s blade down his back. Surprisingly, it stayed put; he must’ve had some kinda rig or something to keep it on his back like Haru did. It was actually incredible. “I’m Eren, it’s really nice to meet someone else who knows  _Rave._ ” He extended his hand to her.

“I’m Mikasa.” She placed her hand in his and he shook it eagerly. It was hard not to laugh when he was reminding her of an excited puppy, not someone whose pictures have thousands of notes and likes.

“See, Jean,” Eren shouted back over to the small group he had left. “I told you that you should’ve brought Musica, we finally have an Elie!”

The guy in the blue uniform rolled his eyes. “You can’t just kidnap people at the con, even if they’re cosplaying your wife.”

Eren looked back to Mikasa, a bit more of a bashful look on his face. “I’m sorry, are you busy? If not you’re more than welcome to hang out with us. I can’t even tell you how many people ask me where’s Elie when I wear this. It would be nice to have one for a little bit.”

Any other time Mikasa would’ve said no, she didn’t really like hanging out strangers but there was something about Eren. When he talked to her it was like he actually wanted to talk to her, like he wanted to hang out, to get pictures. “I’m not busy,” she said giving him a smile.

“I can shoot you guys if you want,” Armin said raising his camera. “I don’t have another shoot for a few hours.”

Before either of them could answer, a girl came up front of them. “Can I get a picture of you two?” she asked, her eyes wide and bright. “You’re so adorable.”

Eren laughed and looked over to Mikasa, seeing if it was okay with her. She nodded in response, her stupid smile not leaving her lips. She couldn’t believe this was actually happening. Mikasa really didn’t mind cosplaying alone, but there was something about having a partner to pose with made things seem even more real to the character.

“Is it okay if I…?” Eren gestured to Mikasa’s waist as the girl taking the picture backed up.

“Oh, yeah,” Mikasa said, unsure of what he wanted to do but she was willing to go along with it.

In a swift motion, she found herself wrapped up in his arms. Her back was against his chest, his arms wrapped around her waist, and his chin on her shoulder. She was pretty sure if most any guy tried that with her she would’ve punched him in the face but there was nothing that made her feel uncomfortable about Eren. All she felt was warmth in her chest, a fluttering in her stomach as she smiled for the picture.

He let her go right when the girl said her thanks and left but Mikasa’s head was still swimming. Eren smiled down at her before waving goodbye to his friends to follow where Armin was headed. “He’s a really good photographer,” Eren said as Mikasa walked next to him. “He’ll make us…well, he’ll make me look good. I don’t think you need much help.”

Armin snorted up a head. “Oh c’mon, Eren, please come up with something better than that.”

Mikasa covered her mouth trying not to laugh, but it was hard not to when Eren was giving Armin an annoyed look; though the red tint to Eren’s face did take away from some of the intimidating factor. “Thank you,” she said. “That was sweet of you.”

That was what Mikasa learned through her whole day with Eren and his friends. He was very sweet. He was loud and rash sometimes, but he was always laughing, always teasing, and always sweet. Even after the impromptu shoot Eren kept finding excuses to keep her around and Mikasa kept finding excuses to stay. They talked about cosplay, about what they liked, about life, school, everything they had in common and everything they didn’t. She met more people than she had at a con in a very long time, and even though she knew no one Eren never made her feel left out, she always felt a part of everything he did. It was like she had always known him.

The thought of the day ending had her stomach in knots but as the sun was going down, she knew it had to.

“Aww, man,” Eren groaned, reaching up to scratch under his wig as he was plopped down on the floor next to her. “I should go get changed, I’m starving.”

It had been one of her best days at a con in a very long time, but all good things did have to come to an end. Tomorrow they’d be back to cosplaying other characters. He’s go back to having strangers come up and know his name, and she’d walk around the con by herself until Sasha wanted to eat.

“Hey,” he looked up at Mikasa. “What are you wearing tomorrow? I don’t think I ever asked.”

“Oh,” Mikasa said, laughing a little. “I decided it would just be a weekend full of Mashima. I’m doing Levy from  _Fairy Tail_ tomorrow.”

Eren choked and she almost asked him what was wrong but he started to laugh before he could. “I brought Gajeel for tomorrow.”

She stared at him for a moment. Two well established pairings in two days? That had to mean something to the cosplay gods didn’t it? “Hey,” she started, brushing some of her wig behind her ear. “Would you wanna meet up tomorrow too?”

“Yes,” Eren said, that toothy smile she got so used to today on his lips. “I’d really like that.”

“Here,” she said, passing him her phone to put his number into. “So we can find each other easier.”

“Of course.” Eren typed in what Mikasa assumed was his name and number before handing her back her phone. “Do you want me to walk you back?”

Mikasa shook her head, pushing herself up to her feet. “That’s okay, I know the way. Thank you though. See you tomorrow then?”

He stood up next to her, grin still on her lips. “Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

She kinda felt like she was floating the whole walk back to the hotel room even though she knew Sasha and Connie were just gonna interrogate her. Whatever. She just spent the day with a nice and really cute guy who wanted to see her again tomorrow, what could be better? Her phone buzzed. Probably one of her roommates looking for her so they could get food or something.

_From: Eren (You know, I had the big sword)_

She snorted at the way he entered his name, like she was gonna forget.

_So my roomies all abandoned me. Would you wanna get dinner maybe? I figure I should take my wife out every now and then._

Mikasa nearly walked into the glass door of the hotel she was staring at her screen so much. It didn’t have to be over tonight. She didn’t think she ever ran up to her room and threw off her cosplay faster in her life.


	16. Coma

_**Anonymous:**  Just finished reading all of your snk fics and I've entirely forgotten how angsty the whole show was (this is exactly why we need a season 2 and more manga chapters) so .. Eremika angsty modern au?_

* * *

 

Eren had almost made it out of school for the day with no one noticing; it was a pretty good talent to have but unfortunately Armin could see through most talents Eren had.

“Hey!” the blond’s voice called out. “Eren! Wait up!”

Eren groaned as he stopped in his tracks. Of course if he just kept walking he would look like an ass in front of everyone else leaving the school, when really he knew exactly what Armin was up to.

“C’mon,” Armin said nudging his elbow into Eren’s arm when he caught up. “The Colonel came to pick me up today. Why don’t you come over so you don’t have to walk home?” Armin had this smile on his face, like he was just asking his best friend to come over, but Armin had that knowing look in his eyes.

“Thanks, buddy,” Eren smiled at him, reaching one hand up to scratch the back of his head. It was hard to lie to someone who knew exactly what you were up to. “But I’m gonna have to pass. I promised my mom I’d go right home and help her clean the basement.”

“Eren, your mom is out of state visiting your grandparents this week.”

Dammit, why did he have to have a best friend who knew everything? It really made lying difficult. “Fine,” Eren sighed, dropping his hands to his sides. “I was…I’m going to see Mikasa.”

Armin gave him a look, a look Eren saw it countless times; it was a mixture of hurt, disappointment, and quite a bit of worry. “Are you sure that’s such a good idea?”

Eren tried to push down the surge of anger that swelled up in pit of his stomach. What did Armin think? That Eren was just gonna leave her there alone? He knew Armin didn’t mean anything by it, he was just trying to look out for Eren but it still didn’t make it any easier. “Of course it’s a good idea,” he said instead. It was always a good idea.

Armin didn’t look too convinced. “Are you really sure you should be doing this? You’ve gone almost every day sin-”

“Look, I know you’re right to help,” Eren said, cutting Armin off before he said the words Eren didn’t ever want to hear again. “And thank you, really, but I’m okay.”

Armin still didn’t look convinced but he nodded. “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“See ya,” Eren waved as Armin walked away to find his ride home.

Eren felt a little guilty as he walked down the opposite way, following in a crowd of people on the sidewalk also walking to their destinations. He didn’t mean to snap at Armin, not when he was trying to help and do the right thing, but the right thing wasn’t something Eren was ready to do. He wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to do it.

He shook his head, trying to rid his mind of images of a not too distant past, back when there were three of them who did hang out together every day. He kicked down at a few rocks on the side walk while he shrugged his backpack up higher on his back.

It was warm out today, summer seemed like it was finally coming; it normally filled him with excitement of things to look forward to. They always had summer plans, whether vacations or just hanging out every single day at one of their houses. This summer though held none of that. Maybe Armin was right, maybe this wasn’t a good idea anymore but when Eren felt the familiar blast of AC when he stepped into the main entrance of the building he suddenly felt a little more comforted. No, this would never be a bad idea; this was the right thing to do.

He waved to the receptionist who gave him a warm smile back before heading to one of the many elevators off to the side of the main room. Eren stepped in with a few other people and pressed his floor. It was kinda high up in the building so people got on and off quite often, looking at the high school student strangely sometimes but most of the time they didn’t see him till he had to squeeze by to get off at his floor.

The shiny tile floor and the white walls looked the same as always, he was pretty sure that would never change.

“Good afternoon, Eren,” Petra waved from the nurse’s station. “How was school today?”

“It was boring as hell, nothing new,” he shrugged, making his way past a few other nurses and patients to where the woman was sitting. “Has there been any changes?”

“Not yet, but nothing bad either so it’s still good news.” Petra’s warm face never changed but Eren was pretty sure she was just used to doing that when telling people things they didn’t want to hear.

“Is my dad here too?”

“Yes, but I think he’s out for lunch right now.”

“Okay, thanks, Petra.” Eren tapped the counter a few times before walking the familiar path to one of the rooms, the one that said “Ackerman, Mikasa,” to the side of it.

It was very bright in the single bed room when he stepped in. “Hey, Mika, how’re you feeling today?”

Every single goddamn time he hoped and prayed he’d hear her soft voice call back, saying his name just like she used to but every time the only response was the beep of the machines in the room.

“About the same then I take it,” he said, trying to ignore the way his heart sank; he would’ve thought by now he’d be used to seeing her laying in that white bed, her black hair standing out against the pillow she was laying on, and no expressions on her sleeping but still beautiful face. He didn’t know if he ever would.

Eren sat down on the chair that was next to her bed, dropping his backpack down next to him. He glanced around the room seeing if there was anything different left out; it was the still the same get well cards from their friends and family, a few stuffed animals, and two vases of flowers, one looking much perkier than the others.

“I see my mom came by before she left,” Eren said, a small smile pulling at his lips. “She must’ve not wanted the other flowers to wilt on you while she was away. She knows how much you love roses.”

What he was used to was the silence that followed his every statement, just the rhythmic beeps of the machines Mikasa was hooked up to.

“School was okay today,” Eren shrugged leaning back in his chair. “It’s almost summer break, thank God, and then back in the fall we’ll all be seniors. Just one more year left till we never have to think about high school at all.” He very well knew if she ever did wake up there was no way she’d graduate on time but those were facts he preferred to ignore; she knew he’d want him to be happy, so he tried to always project positive thoughts when he visited but it wasn’t always easy, not when there were always images of the crash in his head almost every moment of every day.

Everyone told him it wasn’t his fault; hell, even her parents told him they didn’t blame him, that they knew he would never have intentionally done anything to harm her but when he looked down at Mikasa with such little life left in her how the hell could he not blame himself? Not when she trusted him and this is what came of it.

“Mikasa?” he said, leaning into the bed. “I wish you could hear me. I wish you could know how sorry I am. I know you’d tell me it wasn’t my fault but that’s how it feels, that’s how it feels every goddamn day that you aren’t with me.” He felt the ever familiar sting of hot tears that inevitably came when he saw her laying there without the spark of life she always brought him.

“I wish I had told you how much you mean to me when I had the chance.” His fingers reached out to brush over her limp but still warm hand. “If anything, that’s what I regret the most, that I never told you how much I love you when you could hear me. I know I tell you now, all the time, I know but I know you don’t know. You don’t actually know, and that’s…” One of his tears dropped onto the white sheets of the bed. “That’s what kills me because now you’ll never know.”

His parents urged him to not give up hope while still trying to be honest with him about the seriousness of her medical condition. Armin didn’t want him coming here every day because while it felt better to be in her presence, it just hurt more when Eren held her hand, her hand that used to hit him, swat at him, hold him, never moved against him, not even a twitch.

What he wouldn’t give for it to be like those movies where suddenly her finger moved, but it wasn’t. Instead he just ended up crying over her hand, her hand that never moved.


	17. Coma II

_**Anonymous:**  hello sorry for bothering your time but can i ask for a sequel for that modern au fic where mikasa is in a coma? just a drabble is fine i just need a continuation bc sobs you left me crying there :"_

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Sometimes Mikasa dreamed. She’d see her parents; they’d be smiling though they looked sad. Mikasa wanted to reach out and hug them to ask them what was wrong but she could never move. She’d see the Jaeger’s too. Dr. Jaeger sometimes, dressing in his scrubs and white jacket, long hair tied back just like she always remembered him. He’d smile at her too but he’d always be checking something around her and his clip board. More often than not it was Carla; she always had flowers and sometimes she’d sit and talk to Mikasa about her day but most of the time Carla cried.

The dreams Mikasa loved the most were when Eren and Armin came to her. They always joked with each other and told her about school that day or anything interesting that happened to them. Sometimes Eren would come alone too. He’d hold her hand and talk to her but it was the worst when he cried because no matter how much Mikasa wanted to move to hold him and tell him everything was okay, she couldn’t.

Sometimes the dreams were terrifying. She’d see herself in a car, in Eren’s car, she’d know it anywhere; he’d be sitting there too, singing along to some ridiculous song that was making her laugh. The next thing she’d see was headlights coming at them and then the most sickening crunch she ever heard. Eren was calling her name but she couldn’t see him, she only saw black no matter how hard she tried to reach his voice. It left her with the most horrible, empty feeling. Mikasa always found she didn’t dream again for a while after those dreams.

This dream though, this dream today seemed a little bit different. It was the same room she always saw, only familiar because she saw it in her dreams; a white, hospital room with bright flowers by her bed, cards and letters on the wall, and a few pictures frames near the flowers. This dream today was much clearer; she could actually see the pictures in the frames this time. Mikasa had to blink quite a few times because the sun squeezing through the closed shades was so bright but she saw one picture of her with her mom and dad and another with her and Eren making some silly faces when Carla was trying to take a serious picture.

A jolt when through Mikasa’s body when she looked down and saw herself, laying in what she knew to be a hospital bed; there were lines and wires attaching her hand and chest to machines she never saw in her dreams before. She lifted a hand carefully, one of the machines giving a bit of a louder beep when she did. Her hand felt heavy but she could move it; no matter how hard she tried she had never moved her hand in her dreams before…

Dreams? Where they actually dreams?

Panic started to rising in her stomach making it hard to breath. She tried to open up her mouth to cry out for someone, for anyone to come get her, to tell her what she was doing here but nothing came. Her mouth was dry, her throat hoarse.

The door to the room opened.

“Good morning, Mikasa,” a nurse said stepping into the room, her eyes down on a clipboard. She looked familiar; Mikasa thought she must have seen the woman with the short hair in her dreams before. “It’s a beautiful summer day out today, nice and warm. We’ll open these blinds and get some sunshine in here.”

Summer? No, that couldn’t be right. It was still winter, yeah, she remembered the snow and wearing heavy jackets; it wasn’t even Christmas yet. It couldn’t be summer. Panic was starting to rise again and Mikasa tried to speak but still nothing would come out.

Well, something must’ve because the nurse stopped opening the blinds and finally look to Mikasa. The woman nearly dropped the clipboard. “Oh, sweetheart. Nod if you can understand me.”

Mikasa nodded and tried to speak again but much to her frustration and panic she still couldn’t.

“It’s okay, don’t try to talk you probably can’t right now.” The nurse went to the machines before shining a small light in Mikasa’s eyes making her blink furiously. “I’m going to get you some water, okay? That’ll help with your voice. We’ll have to run some tests when you feel up to it, but I’ll let your doctor know you’re up. Is there anyone you want me to call?”

Mikasa’s head was spinning but she nodded and pointed to the picture frames.

“Your parents, okay,” the nurse said. “Eren too?”

Mikasa was a little taken back that this woman knew Eren by name but nodded again.

“I’ll be right back, okay?” She was gone and Mikasa was left only feeling more confused.

She closed her eyes, trying to understand what was going on but it only made her head hurt. Why was she here?

The nurse, Petra as she introduced herself, came back quickly like she promised with a glass of water, having Mikasa drink the water very slowly despite the fact she wanted to guzzle it down. The doctor came in and ran some basic tests; asked her who she was, her parents, where she lived, other basic mental and thought process things of that nature. No matter how much she tried to ask though they wouldn’t tell her more than there was an accident and she got hurt.

“Your parents are here, Mikasa,” Petra said from the door when the doctor was finishing up. “Do you want to see them?”

“Yeah, I do.” Her voice was still a little hoarse but she at least could talk now. Before she knew it, both her parents were by her bedside, both crying.

“Mikasa,” her mother said, reaching out to hug her, while her dad held onto her hand. “We’re so happy you’re okay.”

“Mom?” Mikasa didn’t even know why they were crying; it made her heart clench and that panic start to rise again. “They said there was an accident?”

Her father gave her hand a squeeze as her mom let her go. Her mom sat up on the bed to reaching over brush some hair from Mikasa’s face. “Yes, there was. It was snowy out that night, and the other car lost control…” her mom broke off with a small cry.

Her dad placed on hand on her shoulder as he looked up to Mikasa. “It struck the passenger side of the car you were in. Eren tried to turn the car so it wouldn’t hit you but the ground was so slick…” He cleared his throat.

Mikasa felt her heart started to race again, panic rising in her throat. The dream, it wasn’t really a dream. None of them were. “Is Eren…is he…?”

“He had some cuts, some broken bones but he’s fine,” her father told her. “He came to see you nearly every day in fact.”  

She looked back and forth between her parents. “How long…?”

“The accident happened in December,” her mother said. “Sweetheart, its June now.”

Mikasa didn’t even know she was crying until her mom passed her a tissue. June? She was asleep for six months? She missed six whole months? “Can I see him?”

“Eren? Of course,” her dad said. “I’m sure he’s here by now.”

Her mom leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead. “We’re just so happy you’re back with us, Mikasa. We’ll be right outside if you need us, okay?”

“Okay,” Mikasa said as she watched her parents leave the room. The door closed behind them but it opened back up very quickly and Eren stepped in. It was strange, she felt like she just saw him yesterday but for him it had been a half a year.

“Hey,” he said, his face bright though mixed with something she couldn’t place, as he shut the door carefully behind him.

“Hi,” she said though a bit meekly. What else was she supposed to say? Yeah, she wanted to see him, of course she did but now that he was here she had no idea what to say. All of this was so much.

“How are you feeling?” He sat down in the chair that was pulled up to her bed, the one she remembered seeing him in when she was dreaming.

“A little over whelmed to be honest.”

He nodded. “I guess that would be expected.”

Silence settled over them and she didn’t like it. This was Eren, she never felt strange with him. She always felt comfortable, she always could come to him but there was something now, something that was stuck in the middle. Mikasa had a funny feeling she knew what it was.

“You don’t blame yourself, do you?” she asked. “About what happened?”

His eyes dropped from hers and she had her answer. “I shouldn’t have taken you out that night; I should’ve seen it happening faster. I see it in my head all the time, all the things I could’ve done, all the things I didn’t. This never should’ve happened.”

“I don’t remember all of it,” she said carefully. “But I remember after it happened, right before everything went dark. I remember you.”

Eren looked up at her again.

It wasn’t a lie, but when she said it, she started to remember a little more. “You were calling for me, and you didn’t stop until you pulled me out of the car even though you were hurt too. You told me everything would be okay.”

“But it wasn’t. You lost six months of your life. Everyone who loved you had to come here and see you just laying there, and because of me.”

She shook her head. “I’m here, aren’t I? A little time lagged maybe, but I’m still here and that’s because of you.”

Eren watched her for a moment, before he leaned over her bed, his hand reaching for hers. It was something that was so familiar; Mikasa realized she remembered him doing it countless times when she was asleep.  She reached out her other hand to run through his hair.

“I missed you,” he said, leaning his head against her thigh.

“My parents said you visited me every day.” She couldn’t keep the smile from pulling at her lips.

He snorted though she noticed the slight red tint to his cheeks. “I wasn’t just gonna leave you here where you’d be bored as hell.”

“I appreciate it,” she laughed lightly.

“Mikasa?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry.”

It wasn’t a lot but she did remember the way he put her first when the accident happened, the times he came to see her, the way he cried over her bed. No matter what had happened, no matter what time she lost, she’d never be sorry because he was still here to take care of her. “Don’t be, please. None of this was your fault.”

He nodded, though she saw in his eyes he wasn’t quite ready to believe it.

“Okay, well, get on with it, I want to know everything that happened in the past six months.” Mikasa gave him a smile, but it wasn’t just for his sake; for the first time today she felt like a weight was off her shoulders.

Eren perked up a little bit, lifting his head up off the bed as he started to talk back about events for her.

Her chest felt warm with him there sitting with her. She hoped he’d never leave.

 


	18. Don't Hurt Her

_**Anonymous:**  Have you heard the 'you can break my soul, take my life away, beat me, hurt me, kill me, but for the love of God, don't touch her!' Phrase ? Can you make eremika fic out of it ?_

* * *

“Eren, please, it’ll take a second,” Mikasa said rolling her eyes when Eren locked his car behind them.

“Then it’s a second you’ll have company for,” Eren said, tucking his keys in his pocket before gesturing for Mikasa to go. She looked like she was gonna fight him on it again but she seemed to realize waiting on whether Eren came into the bank with her or not was gonna take more time than just walking into the bank.

The AC hit him immediately, making him regret walking in here with just a t-shirt and long shorts. Why did they always have to overpower the air like that? It was August yeah but they didn’t live in the middle of the desert or something.

“Okay, so bank and then to the mall,” Mikasa said, taking her place in line behind a few other people. “What time is Armin gonna get there?”

“Probably about now. You know he’s like a half hour early to everything,” Eren said.

“It’s to make up that you’re a half hour late for everything.”

“C’mon, Mika, I am not,” he whined but he knew the smile on her lips.

“Yes, you are. You’d be late today too if I hadn’t been at the house forcing you to leave.”

“Okay, that may be true.”

She gave him another smile and it took his breath away. “See, when’re you gonna listen to me?”

“Not today obviously,” he snorted.

She laughed and stepped up in the line, a few people standing behind them now. “Do you have any place you need to go to get clothes at the mall?”

“Wherever,” he shrugged trying to ignore the warmth in the pit of his stomach that being around Mikasa always brought. “Senior year is just another year. I don’t need special clothes for it.”

“Says the one who was practically rejoicing at the beginning of the summer he only had one more year of high school left.”

“Says the one who was too busy lamenting over the fact she got an A- in English to care we only have one year left.”

Mikasa laughed again. “I deserved an A, that was bull-”

Two gunshots rang out, one right after the other and time stopped.

Eren’s ears were ringing, everything around him was a blur. People were screaming, the ceiling was crumbling onto the ground. He reached his arms around Mikasa, pushing her away from the line, from the tellers, and onto the floor. She was frozen, her eyes wide when they met his. She was in shock, and he knew why.

He had no idea what else was going on around him but he grabbed a hold of her face. “It’s okay.” His voice sounded far away, distant. “I promise, everything’s okay.”

She didn’t say anything but her hands reached up to him, hands grasping onto his shirt.

“Everyone stay down on the ground and shut up.”

Eren turned his head towards the voice. It was the man who shot a few rounds into the ceiling when he walked in. He was masked of course, dressed all in black with black gloves on. It was all pretty cliché but then again not everyone could be creative criminals Eren supposed. Someone else, another masked man was zip tying off the doors and Eren could see a crowd that already gathered a distance back from the building. Someone was bound to call the cops if a bank alarm hadn’t got sounded by now.

“Just do what they say, okay?” Eren kept his tone hushed when he looked back to Mikasa still looking terrified. “It’ll be over soon.” He tugged her head down so she could bury her face in his shoulder if she didn’t want to watch. Mikasa was the strongest person he knew, but even the strongest people had their fears and hers was guns.

There was another masked man, well, woman standing guard by the door, more of a rifle than hand gun in her hands.

“C’mon,” the man who seemed to be in charge said, tapping his gun on the counter. “You know the deal, all the money in bags. You!” he pointed off at someone behind the counter, Eren couldn’t see. “Start emptying the safety deposit boxes.”

“We can’t do that,” the woman behind the counter said. She was a small thing with auburn like hair but she stood firm even in the face of an armed robber. “We don’t have access to those keys, only our customers have a copy.”

The man paused for a moment before turning back out to the lobby where everyone was huddled on different spots of the floor. “Who has a safety deposit box here?”

No one raised their hands. Eren heard sirens in the distance.

The man raised his gun, firing off a shot that shattered one of the glass walls to an office. There were a few more screams, and that time people did raise their hands. The other man started ushering those people at gunpoint to where a bank attendant was trying to open the safe door but his hands were shaking so bad he kept messing up the lock.

Mikasa went still next to him. Eren tried to lift her heard to have her look at him again but he felt the tears on his neck, and heard the strangled gasp from her lips. As smoothly and as quickly as he could, he pulled her into his lap, trying not to get any attention of the robbers.

Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, pulling her body closer to him as she curled around him. “It’s happening again,” she choked.

“No, no, Mikasa, it’s not.” Eren kept one hand on her lower back, the other he reached up to her head. “I’d never let that happen.”

“Hey! What do you two have so much to talk about?”

When Eren looked up he found a gun pointed at himself. He kept his hand firm on her head so she wouldn’t look up. Mikasa was nine the last time she was forced to look down the barrel of a gun, and he wasn’t gonna make her go through that again. “She’s just scared, that’s all.”

“Keep your fucking girlfriend quiet.”

Eren didn’t think telling the man she wasn’t his girlfriend wouldn’t do them any good. Regardless the man went back to where the tellers were still bagging up some money, tossing it over the counter. Through the glass windows and doors the lights from the police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances was nearly blinding but the robbers didn’t seem to care and Eren had a feeling he knew why. The cops would never barge right in knowing there were people held at gunpoint. He glanced around the room at the other people who were here at the wrong time; a few older women, a man in a business suit, a middle aged couple, and of course the employees who had no choice but to be here.

“Hey,” Eren said softly, as to not get any more attention on them. “I bet Hannes is out there.”

Mikasa sniffed but at least she stopped shaking.

“Remember that time I was so mad at my mom I ran away from home without even telling you. Hannes drove my mom all around town trying to look for me and you found me in my backyard behind the shed.” He really wasn’t sure why he brought up that story save for it had Hannes in it.

“Your mom was even more furious at you than she was before because you outsmarted her and a police officer.”

Eren snorted.

Another gunshot rang out. This time it came from behind them and it was accompanied by a pained groan, a body hitting the ground and a scream. It nearly made Mikasa jump out of his arms.

“It’s okay,” he said, his mouth near her ear. “It’s okay. It’ll be over soon.”

“Jesus,” the man said, pushing his way back towards the safe where the other man had gone in.

The phone started to ring and Eren could tell the tellers were unsure whether to answer or not. It might be the cops calling in to see what the ransom was but then again Eren had no idea if that only happened in movies. He tried to ignore the nausea in the pit of his stomach over the fact it sounded like someone got shot in the safe. The phone was still ringing, it was the only sound anything was making the lobby.

The first man came back out. Grabbing the phone from the counter, he shoved it to his ear. Eren heard someone talking over it but what they were saying he had no idea.

“I’m sending out two people,” the man said. “One’s injured, one will help that one. Be ready.” He dropped the phone on the counter just as Eren watched the other man helping one of the other employees out of the safe, blood seeping through his shirt from the obvious gunshot wound.

Eren held Mikasa’s head to him so she didn’t have to look and remember just what guns could do to people. Though, he thought she might never forget.

“Whose going?” the man grunted obviously wanting to rid himself of the man he hurt.

Eren wanted it to be Mikasa, to get her out of here but she’d have to carry the man with the wound and Eren didn’t know if that would make her more upset or not. “Why don’t you go?” he tried. “Wait for me out there, okay?”

She lifted her head off his shoulder and Eren knew it was too late. Her eyes were glossy, her face pale. Someone else was walking the injured man out the door, the woman zip tying the doors once they were gone.

“That could be you,” Mikasa said, her voice breaking.

“It’s not though. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere,” Eren said running a hand through her hair trying to be soothing.

She buried her head in his shoulder again, her body starting to shake from the cries falling from her lips. It had been nearly ten years since she lost her parents but Eren knew trauma like that just didn’t go away. He learned to soothe her nightmares, to skim through movie reviews before taking her to see any action movies, to help her grow from the pain she had to go through but this, this he had no control over.

“What did I fucking say?”

Eren looked up once again to see the first man pointing the gun at them once more. Eren’s throat went dry but he tried to shift as much as he could so her body wasn’t in the line of sight any. “She’s scared, okay? We’re doing everything you’ve asked. Can you please just leave her alone?”

“Both of you up,” the man growled and Eren knew he had no choice, not when the gun was still aimed at them.

He carefully helped Mikasa to her feet giving her the best smile he could muster and taking her hand in his.

“I should shoot her on the spot just for being so obnoxious when I’m trying to do a job,” the man said, gun still aimed. “We’re almost done, and it would go by faster if I could concentrate.” The phone started ringing again and it made him jump, finger twitching on the trigger.

Eren pushed Mikasa back behind him. “I don’t care what you do to me, but please, don’t hurt her. She didn’t do anything wrong.” He already knew if that gun went off in any direction near her, Eren would make sure it would hit him long before it came near her; that wasn’t a question.

The air was tense, everyone in the room quiet as the robber seemed to be deciding whether to shoot or not. Eren didn’t know; he didn’t know what would happen but as long as she was okay it didn’t matter. What happened to him didn’t matter; she was always the important one to him.

“We’re done.” The other man walked back into the room, Eren hadn’t even noticed he was gone as well as all the money from the counter.

The first man dropped his gun, and turned to follow the second man out what Eren assumed was a back door, the woman who was standing guard hurrying after. Eren let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding but it wasn’t over yet. He grabbed a hold of Mikasa, putting her in front of him this time now that the gunners were at their backs and followed the crowd rushing the door.

The cool headed teller from earlier came forward first, a pair of scissors cutting the zip ties and letting everyone back outside. Cops came rushing forward, trying to gather people for testimonies, and to get after the robbers before they got too far. Paramedics were on the waiting lines too in case others were hurt. Eren scooped up Mikasa as the warm air hit his cold skin once they were outside and took her to the nearest one, just in case.

“Did she get hurt?” the female paramedic asked when Eren placed Mikasa down on the edge of the ambulance.

“She had a panic attack, I just wanna make sure she’s okay,” Eren said, stepping a few steps back to let the professionals do their job but Mikasa’s eyes never left his.

At least he felt like he could breathe now. He almost hoped his mom wasn’t watching the news today or she might never let them leave the house again.  Granted if Hannes saw them here, he probably would call Carla right away so there went that.

“She seems to be just fine,” the paramedic said. “Just shaken up. Are you okay, sir?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Eren said, reaching for Mikasa’s hand to help her up. “I’m fine.” What he really wanted to do was slip away and not have to make Mikasa relive all that. Maybe get her to relax some at the mall where Armin was still waiting for them. Eren really should call him. Was it illegal to leave without talking to the police after something like this? Armin might know actually, or Hannes, but knowing him he’d probably make them go down to the station or something. Eren pulled his phone out of his pocket but Mikasa put her hand on his arm making him stop. “Is something wrong?” he asked when he looked up at her, though he hoped she knew that mean aside from the obvious.

“Were you really gonna do that?” Her voice was a little strained but whether that was from the question or just an aftermath of what happened he wasn’t sure.

“Gonna do what?”

She hesitated but she kept watching him. “Take a bullet for me.”

“Without hesitation.”

Mikasa watched him for a moment longer but the next thing he knew, her hands were on his face and her lips were pressed to his. Eren nearly dropped his phone in his haste to wrap his arms around her, to kiss her back as warmth filled the pit of his stomach. Eren knew he’d always protect her, it wasn’t a question.

“Guess, you’ll have to let me come in the bank with you more often,” he murmured when she pulled away slightly from him.

She hit him on the shoulder but there was finally a smile back on her lips. She leaned back in to kiss him and he wasn’t about to complain.

“Eren? Mikasa? Were you two in there?”

Eren tried not to groan when he turned his head to see Hannes watching them, his radio in his hand as voices buzzed from it and a strange look of both concern and amusement on his face. Well, there went the rest of their afternoon. Hannes was gonna drag them down to his precinct and never gonna let Eren live this down.

 


	19. Double Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story does feature Jean/Annie as the other pairing.

_**jazziisms** **:**  I know you're probably suuuuper busy, and you get a lot of requests, but I would really really reeeaally love it if you wrote a Eremika/Jeanani double date! Something cute!_

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“I can’t believe you talked me into this.”

Mikasa couldn’t believe Eren talked Jean into it either, but here they were waiting outside the movie theater together. It was pretty impressive on Eren’s part that he did talk Jean into agreeing to come; Mikasa thought it was a near impossible task when Eren brought it up to her.

“C’mon, it’s not that bad,” Eren said up against the wall of the theater next to Jean. Mikasa was standing in front of him, leaning slightly into him while his hands rested on her lower back.

Jean seemed to think so, because he was slouched over looking up every so often at the people who walked by them. He might try to hide it but Mikasa could tell it was because he was nervous. “It’s a blind date,” he grunted. “What could be worse than that?”

“Yeah, but it’s not a  _complete_  blind date.”

“I’ve never met or seen the girl before, how could you get more blind than that?”

“It’s not like you got set up online or something. I do know her; I wouldn’t have set you up with someone I thought you would hate. Give me a little credit.”

Jean arched an eyebrow, obviously not taking Eren’s words at face value.

“I’ve met her,” Mikasa said, pushing Eren back into to the wall as he tried to get up to lunge towards Jean. “She’s pretty though a bit quiet.”

“See, do you trust Mikasa at least?” Eren asked.

“Better than you.”

“Stop being such an ass,” Eren snorted. “I even picked a movie theater so that if you don’t like her you don’t have to talk to her, and I didn’t make you go alone. We’re here to back you up if you need it.”

Jean glanced over at them. “If you even plan on watching the movie.”

“That’s true enough.”

Mikasa hit Eren’s chest making him laugh. She did have to say it was a pretty good plan for a first date and a blind one at that. There were plenty of escape routes should things get weird and plenty of good routes to go should they kick it off, though Mikasa had more of a hand in that.

“Did we at least pick a movie?” Jean asked, not looking any reassured.

Eren poked Mikasa in the back. “Which one did you pick, babe?”

The theater was nice because they just played cheap older movies all the time. It was her choice to come to this particular theater since they were more likely to find a movie everyone liked; Eren and Jean’s movie tastes clashed more often than they didn’t. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the tickets. “I thought we’d go with a classic and appease all.”

Eren’s head perked up and he reached one hand to wave.  “Hey, Annie!”

Mikasa turned her head to see the last member of the night walking across the street, blonde hair pulled up behind her head and sun dress blowing in the breeze. Mikasa was actually surprised; the only times she ever saw Annie she was dressed in a hoodie and jeans but Mikasa supposed she wasn’t one to talk.

“Glad you made it okay,” Eren said giving her a grin.

“It’s five minutes from campus.”

Yeah, that sounded more like Annie. She glanced over to where Jean was still standing, and Mikasa elbowed Eren.

“Jesus, okay,” he coughed standing up from the wall. “Annie, this is Jean, Jean this is Annie.”

“Hello,” Jean said reaching his hand out to Annie. She took it with a small greeting of her own but it took all Mikasa had not to laugh. Jean looked like he was love struck already. Not that Mikasa blamed him; Annie was a very pretty girl.

“Ready to go in?” Eren asked, taking Mikasa’s hand and nodding towards the doors.

“After you,” Jean said and let Annie step in front of him. Mikasa reached over to hand him the two tickets she had before they were hit with the air conditioning of the theater.

There were quite a few people already inside it being close to the end of the semester and a Friday night but that was okay. Maybe the more people, the more comfortable her friends would feel with each other. Mikasa stood in the concession line even though popcorn with Eren was sometimes dangerous when he would decide to see how far away he could hit someone with the popcorn.

She felt his hands on her arms, rubbing out the goose bumps from the cold air. He leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek, her back up to his chest. Eren was always warm; she didn’t how he managed it. Mikasa leaned back into him, his arms wrapping around her waist.

“Do you get stuck with them a lot?” Jean asked from somewhere behind them.

“Sasha’s my roommate, so yes.” Annie’s voice didn’t sound any less thrilled.

“I’m sorry, on multiple levels.”

There was a small snort of laughter from Annie.

“If you think I’m buying you guys food now, you have another thing coming.” Eren let go of Mikasa to grab his wallet and pay for some popcorn before stepping out of the way to let Jean and Annie get whatever they wanted for the movie.

Mikasa popped some of the kernels in her mouth as they made the short walk to the theater for their movie. Jean and Annie were talking about something behind her but she was trying hard not to eavesdrop too much.

“I think they’re getting along,” Eren leaned down to say to her. Apparently he wasn’t trying very hard.

“You just want to get credit for playing matchmaker.” She turned into the area that led to the seats.

“I want my friends to be happy.”

Mikasa turned her head to give him a look.

“And some credit. Don’t we all deserve a little credit?”

She led them to some seats right in the center on the upper area of the theater. Perfect viewing area, granted, the lights dimmed before they could actually sit down but they managed to squeeze through the seats and sit down before the official start of the movie. Not that it  _really_ mattered; she was pretty sure they all saw the movie at least a few times but it was the atmosphere of the theatre that made it better. Mikasa rolled her head onto Eren’s shoulder when he draped his arm over her shoulders. Yeah, this was to get their friends out on a date but that didn’t mean she wasn’t gonna enjoy her time with Eren too; though she did have to keep taking popcorn out of his hands at some points during the movie.

She loved Eren with all her heart but sometimes he was too hyperactive for his own good. Even a movie he genuinely enjoyed he sometimes didn’t want to sit still for, so really about halfway through she shouldn’t have been surprised when she felt his hand on her thigh, his lips on her neck. “Eren,” she said in a hushed tone.

“Mikasa,” he said back.

She rolled her eyes, and reached down to tilt his head up to hers. “We’re with our friends.”

His eyes looked like he was contemplating that thought but leaned in to press his lips to hers instead. He tasted a little like the popcorn they had been eating and she knew better than to let it continue. She knew better but that didn’t mean she was gonna listen. She reached one hand up to his face, kissing him back in the dark theatre. His hand grasped down on her and he moved to deepen their kiss but a sharp kick to the back of Eren’s seat had them both nearly jumping.

Eren snapped his head around only to find some other kids their age snickering. Mikasa put her hand on his shoulder to make sure he stayed in his seat as opposed to jumping at their fellow movie watchers. They probably shouldn’t have been making out in the theatre anyway; even if it was worth it. He turned to face the front again and Mikasa was about to do the same but she noticed the seats next to Eren were empty.

“Where’d they go?” Mikasa asked but Eren merely shrugged.

He nodded towards the end of the row and stood up to leave. Mikasa grabbed her bag and quickly followed. “I thought I would’ve noticed Jean leave,” Eren said once they were back in the hallway of the theater. “They can’t be that far.”

“Do you think something was wrong?” They weren’t in the lobby anywhere or outside the bathrooms.

“Maybe they didn’t like the movie.”

“Everyone likes that movie.”

Eren rolled his eyes as he held the door for Mikasa, stepping back out in to the warm afternoon air. They didn’t have to wonder where Jean and Annie were for too much longer. She grabbed ahold of Eren’s arm to hold him back from walking over there right away. The couple in question were sitting on the stone wall just outside the theater. Jean was going on about something to her and she seemed to be following along and listening but most surprisingly, there was a small smile on her lips. It was adorable really.

Jean caught their glance first. “Hey, you guys done?”

“Yeah, if you are. We didn’t even see you leave,” Eren said walking over to them.

“It was around the time you started to feel your girlfriend up.”

“Fair enough.”

“We were talking about going for food,” Annie said, jumping down off the wall with Jean following. “You wanna come?”

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Mikasa said looking up to Eren. He wasn’t looking at her at all though. He had that toothy grin of his on as he looked at Jean; Eren must’ve seen it between them too.

“I’m so taking credit for this.”

“Okay, since this is your fault, you can pay for dinner then.” Jean said clasping his hands together.

“I was thinking more along the lines of ‘Oh, how did you meet?’ ‘My dastardly handsome friend Eren introduced us of course.’”

“Idiot, that’ll never happen.”

Eren fought back as he always did but at least they started walking down the street. Mikasa rolled her eyes and tried to catch Annie’s attention but she was watching Jean with this particular look; it suited her. They looked good together.

Okay, Eren could take credit for this one.


	20. Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated T for Sexual Situations and Language.

_**Anon Submitted to** **s** **hingekinoeremika** **:** _

_14 year old Eren falls asleep on the couch, curled up with Mikasa. When Eren wakes up he groggily cuddles closer to Mikasa, rubbing his erection against her. It takes Eren a minute before he realizes what’s happening. His reaction is to push Mikasa away from him, causing her to fall off the couch and land face first onto the ground, run away and locks himself in the bathroom. Mikasa lays on the floor confused. Carla and Grisha tease Eren relentlessly for a month._

* * *

“Are you falling asleep?” Eren murmured his face nearly buried in the back of Mikasa’s head. He watched her shoulders shrug, a cute little noise falling from her lips as she laid on the couch next to him, a sure sign she was indeed falling asleep. Eren tried to ignore the smile pulling at his lips.

It somehow always ended up like this, that their casual sitting on the couch in the living room trying to get homework done after a long school day turned into the both of them laying on their sides on the couch and falling asleep. It happened so often that Eren just left one of his pillows from his bed down so she’d have something to rest her head on. Her face was actually buried in that pillow as he laid next to her, Mikasa resting just a few inches away from him.

Eren let his eyes shut, one of his arms tucked under his body, the other up by his side of the pillow. Even if it wasn’t the 5 o'clock lull in the afternoon that almost always put him to sleep, Mikasa’s warm body, the way her hair smelled from her shampoo, her own rhythmic breathing always did him in even if he made an attempt to keep himself awake; which he admittedly never did.

“We shouldn’t,” Mikasa breathed. “I have a project due tomorrow.”

“And it’ll still be there in a few hours,” Eren said, the heavy waves of sleep already starting to take him.

Judging by the way Mikasa didn’t answer him at all, she must’ve felt the same.  

It was kinda the way it always was; Eren couldn’t remember a time they weren’t falling asleep together from when they were kids taking naps while one of their parents watched them for the day, or preteens trying to stay up late and failing miserably, or now just two exhausted high school sophomores trying to rest after a long day at school. It was the way it always was. Her comforting presence lulled him to sleep and while he made a point not to admit it to anyone but himself, he loved being around her. He loved falling asleep next to her, of waking up and having her still be there.

Eren always assumed it was because she was always there and she always had been but he found himself questioning that more and more when he opened his hazy eyes and saw her watching him, her body facing his. Even though Eren could almost feel her legs brushing against his, her chest up against his, a part of him knew he was dreaming. Mainly because even his subconscious seemed to know Mikasa wouldn’t just grab his face and kiss him like she was and because it wasn’t the first time he had a dream like this. It didn’t stop him from eagerly kissing her back.

He ran a hand down her back till he reached the dip in her lower back, pushing her into him and making her gasp against his lips. Shivers rolled down his spine when she curled her fingers into his shirt, her teeth nipping down at his lower lip as she kissed him. He groaned nearly feeling all the blood in his body rush down leaving him aching for more of her.

Mikasa seemed to get the hint since she rubbed her leg up against his before hooking it over his hip, pulling her body in even closer to him. His hands tightened on her, another groan falling from his lips at how close she was to him, at how much she fit right into his body. He trailed his lips across her jaw and down her neck, loving the way her eyes fluttered shut, the way she gasped when he nipped at her skin.

“Eren,” she moaned, rolling her hips up against his.

He groaned against her skin, hands reaching down to grab her hips and grinded his aching arousal into her.

“Eren, please,” she cried out again, hands tight on him.

He pressed open mouthed kisses all along her neck, his hips rolling into hers as small cries fell from her lips. He snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her back closer into him which was a little strange because he thought she was facing him. Eren pressed a kiss to her head, grinding his erection up against her ass, wanting every bit of her he could reach. A moan slipped through his lips as he rolled his hips against her again but the sudden sound made him freeze. It was too loud, the noise echoing in his ears.

Eren opened his eyes seeing Mikasa right where he left her when he fell asleep, her face still buried in his pillow and her back facing him. Except now Eren had pulled her back into him, leaving no room between her and his very real, throbbing erection. Eren nearly stopped breathing as nothing but panic filled every part of his body.

Shit. Shit. God fucking dammit. He just spent God knows how long rubbing up against his best friend as he had a sex dream about her.

He did the only thing that seemed logical at the time. Eren quickly untangled himself from her and pushed her so far away from his body that she tumbled right off the couch. She landed on the ground with a guilt wrenching thump.

Mikasa’s head shot up, her hair a mess and her eyes narrowed as she looked up to him.

Eren didn’t bother waiting around her hear what she had to say. He was already jumping over the back of the couch and running to the nearest locked door he could find.

“Eren, you asshole!” she shouted after him. “What the hell was that for?”

The first door happened to be the bathroom which he slammed behind him quickly locking it. His heart was pounding in his chest as he tried to remind himself to breathe.

What the hell was that?

It really wasn’t the first time he dreamed of Mikasa like that; it wasn’t the first time he had feelings like that for her. It was however the first time _that_ happened. Well, not getting a boner in front of her; that had been happening for years, but he had his ways around it. He never quite rubbed up against her like that. He never imagined it would feel that good to be that close to her.

Eren groaned as he rolled his head back against the door, sliding down until he sat down on the tile floor. Clearly she didn’t even notice so why he ran he wasn’t really sure. Was he embarrassed? Hell, yeah, he was embarrassed. That was Mikasa, his best friend next to Armin. Eren was embarrassed he lost himself like that and embarrassed with how much he loved how it felt. He was trying to ignore the way his breath caught in his throat when she was near, how good it felt just to be around her, to just be happy she wanted to be around him too. Clearly, something inside him didn’t think Eren was close enough to her.

He hit his head against the door again. His mind was still reeling from the dream; he could almost hear his name on her lips still. A shiver went down his spine that did nothing to help his arousal. He groaned. Why her? Why couldn’t it be some girl he never saw, some girl he wasn’t so close to? Well, that’s probably one of the reasons it was her. She was someone he could trust, someone he could count on, someone he just loved being around.

Eren pushed himself up to his feet. He wanted to go back out there and apologize cause Mikasa was probably gonna kick his ass for pushing her off the couch but with how tight his pants still were he was pretty sure he’d better stay in here for a little bit longer.

“Eren Jaeger, is there any reason you locked yourself in this bathroom?”

He reached up to rub his forehead. “No, Ma. I’ll be out in a second.”

“Any reason you pushed Mikasa off the couch?”

Shit. Leave it to his mother who he was pretty sure was part elf or something with how much she heard to come bug him now of all times. “Not really, no.” He could almost see her glaring through the door, arms crossed against her chest.

“You better give me a good reason or you really aren’t gonna like the outcome.”

This couldn’t be easy could it? “I just had a dream, okay?”

She clicked her tongue. “What the hell does a dream have to do with this?”

“A dream, Ma, you know.” He groaned a little; this was almost as embarrassing as what actually happened. “One of _those_ dreams.”

Carla was quiet for the moment, obviously trying to put the pieces together. “Oh, Eren, that’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s perfectly normal, especially when you fall asleep next to her all the time. At least I assume she’s who you were dreaming about.” Carla snorted a little, like she was trying not to laugh. “I don’t think you needed to push her off the couch though. Mikasa probably wouldn’t have minded waking up that way.”

Eren swung open the door and sure enough Carla was practically red from trying not to laugh. “Thanks, really appreciate it,” he grumbled, brushing by her.

“Stop it,” she chuckled, reaching out to grab onto his shoulder. “Why don’t you try telling her how you feel? Might make the awkward moments a little more enjoyable.”

“Bye, Mom.” Eren shoved his hands in his pockets and headed back towards where he left Mikasa, trying to ignore Carla who was still laughing. What kinda mother was she anyway?

Mikasa wasn’t on the floor anymore, she was sitting on the couch, her legs up to her chest.

“Mikasa?” he said walking back up behind the couch where he knew she could see him.

She didn’t even look up or look his way which meant she was giving him the cold shoulder. He nearly groaned again; he hated when she did that, even if he might’ve deserved it.

“C'mon, Mika,” he whined, leaning forward on the couch next to her. “I’m sorry, okay, it was an accident.”

She turned her head towards him. “How do you accidentally push someone off a couch? And then run away?”

Eren bit down on his lip. “I had a dream?”

“A bad dream?” Mikasa asked, her forehead furrowing a little.

“Um no, not really.” He jumped back over the couch so he was sitting next to her. “It was a good dream.” He cleared his throat a little. “A _very_ good dream.”

“Oh,” Mikasa said, not looking too surprised one way or another; though her cheeks did turn a little red. Silence fell between them, silence that almost made Eren run back into the bathroom.

“Eren, you don’t have to, um, you didn’t have to push me away. It’s okay.”

He was pretty sure he nearly choked. “It’s okay?”

A small smile pulled at her lips but before he could ask what that was for he quickly found himself on his ass, on the ground.

“I suppose I deserved that,” he groaned as he looked up to Mikasa, her hands still outstretched from pushing him.

Mikasa laughed and it sent chills down his spine, but even more so when she leaned down over the edge of the couch and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “Yeah, it’s okay.”

 


	21. Fight

_**Anonymous:**  eremika: breakup + makeup_

* * *

Armin winced from his spot down on the couch. He was a whole floor away from them and he could still hear them shouting at each other. It wasn’t incredibly uncommon for Eren and Mikasa to fight, they had been bickering since they met each other as kids, but generally their ridiculous crushes on each other watered down any tension as they quickly got too embarrassed and the argument dissolved.

This fight was different. This wasn’t Eren getting annoyed that Mikasa nagged him about something, this wasn’t Mikasa mad that Eren forgot to pick her up after school, this was an actual they were both angry at each other fight. It was the first big and real fight since they started dating.

Armin heard Eren’s gruff tone snapping about how it shouldn’t matter who he was out with that Mikasa should’ve known to trust him by now. Mikasa bit back that it wasn’t about trust; it was about him telling her he was going out and where he was going so she didn’t worry but of course, that only fueled Eren more that she didn’t trust him and just wanted to baby him.

Armin fell over on the couch and wanted nothing more to just put a pillow over his head. He loved them, and he was happy they were finally together, but they were being so stupid and pigheaded right now it was ridiculous. If Eren would stop yelling he’d see Mikasa was upset because he was gone into the night and never told her where he was, she was worried and if Mikasa would stop being so defensive she’d see Eren values her trust and he feels like she doesn’t trust him when he was just out with some friends.

They were morons who loved each other too much but hadn’t quite realized how much they do love each other yet. Plus they were giving him a headache; so much for hanging out at Mikasa’s while her parents were gone for the day. By now her parents might have heard them yelling in the next state over and come home to see what’s causing such a damn disturbance in the force.

“How long have we known each other, huh?” Eren’s voice was practically ringing through the floor. “Don’t you think somewhere in those years of you being one of my best friends you would know how to trust me?”

“Eren, this isn’t about trust! Of course I trust you. You didn’t tell me where you were! I was wo-”

“Don’t even tell me that again. If you trusted me you would know I was just fine instead of freaking out and treating like we’re still nine fucking years old.”

“It’s not tha-”

“Just forget about it, Mikasa. This whole thing was a bad idea.”

Armin lifted his head off the couch. That boy could not be  _that_ stupid.

“Eren, I-”

The door slammed shut and everything was quiet.

Armin groaned as his face landed in his hands. Apparently, Eren was that stupid. Just wait till he got down here, he was getting an earful. Armin tried to chalk it up to neither Eren or Mikasa had actually been in a serious relationship before and didn’t know how to handle how they were feeling but to break up over it? No, Eren was being rash and not thinking; Armin was not about to let that happen.

He heard footsteps storming down the stairs, they sounded like they were headed for the door. “Eren,” Armin called. “Will you come in here.” Whatever tone Armin used must have worked because he saw Eren walk into the Ackerman’s living room. He looked about as pissed as he sounded but his eyes told Armin a little bit more, he was hurt too.

“What,” he grunted.

Armin pointed up at the ceiling. “Sound travels. Sit down.”

Eren actually looked embarrassed for a moment, like he hadn’t thought Armin heard them; maybe Eren didn’t realize how damn loud they were yelling. “What,” he grunted again once he sunk himself down in an arm chair.

“What are you doing?”

Eren shrugged. “Sitting in a chair.”

Armin narrowed his eyes; the only person more stubborn than Eren was Mikasa herself, no wonder they always butt heads.

Eren sighed crossing his arms against his chest. “I don’t know.”

“Sure sounded like you were breaking up with her. Is that what you want?”

“Of course it’s not what I want!” Eren threw his hands up in defeat. “But she doesn’t trust me, how the hell can I be with someone like that?”

Armin paused for a moment, letting his words linger. “Did you listen to her? I mean, actually listen to her not just biting back in anger.”

“Of course I did!”

“I don’t think you did.”

Eren looked like he was about to start a fight with Armin now but he just held his hand up to get Eren to not blow up.

“I understand why you’re upset. You think that Mikasa should trust you enough to know you weren’t doing anything you weren’t supposed to, right?”

“Damn right.”

“And understandable, especially as your girlfriend and longtime friend she should trust you to be out with friends and have nothing to worry about regarding you but, think about it from her side too. She called me that night, Eren, she was worried about you; not because you were of doing things you shouldn’t just because she had no idea where you were. You could’ve been on the side of the road in a wreck and she would have no idea.”

Eren opened his mouth, but he quickly closed it, not really having much of a comeback like Armin thought might happen.

“Would you’ve worried if she was out and didn’t tell you where she was? Not because you thought she was cheating on you or something but just simply because if there was something wrong you wouldn’t be able to go to her.”

Eren ran a hand through his hair as his eyes looked less angry and hurt and more panicked, like he realized the huge mistake he just made. As he should; Armin couldn’t even believe Eren sometimes, but that’s just how he was.

“Look, I know this all is new to the both of you but no one cares about Mikasa more than you and vice versa. Don’t throw that away because you two are stubborn asses.”

Silence settled over them, save for the occasional noise coming from the floor above them; it wasn’t too loud but judging by the sudden look on Eren’s face he recognized it as Mikasa trying not to cry. “How can I…how can I face her after that?”

“Apologize; tell her how it made you feel without getting angry. Let her talk to you and tell you how she felt that night. Work out some kinda system to make it not happen again. Communication is everything, Eren, you two have to talk to each other or this cycle of miscommunication into fighting will never stop. You love her; I know you don’t want this to keep happening.” Despite the fact Armin knew neither of them had used that  _word_ to each other quite yet, Eren didn’t look surprised when Armin said it.

Eren just pushed himself up to his feet. “Have you always been smart and wise?”

“Yepp, you just never listen.”

For the first time since he came down there, a smile pulled at Eren’s lips. “Thanks, buddy.”

“Okay,” Armin had to laugh. “Just go get your girl back.”

Eren nodded and walked back up the stairs, this time a bit quieter than before. Armin heard the door open and some soft and hesitant talking coming from Eren, but since he wasn’t yelling Armin couldn’t quite make out what Eren was saying. Armin heard Mikasa respond in equally quiet but choked tones. Well, at least they were talk as opposed to yelling this time.

Armin almost left, just wanting to give them their space now, but he also wanted to make sure neither of them acted like idiots again. Things seemed to be okay, no yelling just quiet talking. Armin turned up the volume on the TV a little bit, giving them what space he could until they wanted to come downstairs. They were made for each other, those two; Armin had waited for years for them to realize too. He wasn’t just gonna let them throw that away.

Though as time went on and only silence from upstairs met his ears he knew they’d be just fine. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to check on them just to make sure. Armin stood up from the couch and headed up the stairs to Mikasa’s room. He really didn’t mind that they practically spent the whole day breaking up and then hopefully making up and didn’t actually do anything they had planned; all he wanted was for them to be happy. Maybe if everything was good with them, he’d order them some pizza to eat over a movie.

Armin carefully pushed the door open trying not to make too much noise and scare the hell out of them but judging by the sight in front of him nothing probably would have knocked them out of their trance. They were curled up under Mikasa’s blankets and while Eren had lost his shirt she was wearing it now. Mikasa’s eyes were closed but there was a wide smile on her face, one even Armin wasn’t used to seeing, as Eren held her in his arms, placing lazy kisses along her jaw. Armin could vaguely see the look on Eren’s face and it looked about just as content as Mikasa’s was.

Armin shut the door with a grin. Yeah, they’d be just fine. He pulled out his phone from his pocket to find the nearest pizza place.

 


	22. Home

_**Anonymous:**  Can you do an Eremika fic where one of them is homeless and the other one tries to help them out when they learn? kinda angsty but I think you'd make it soooo cute ^_^_

* * *

 

Eren looked up from the grilled cheese he was expertly grilling only to see a plate of food he made not more than five minutes ago being dropped in front of him.

“She said the burger is too well done,” Mikasa said, already reaching for the next order receipt attached to the metal shelves in front of the grills, sliding one plate and then another effortlessly onto her arm.

“Well, she can shove the burger up her ass.” Eren flipped the sandwich over, making sure the other side was just as golden before dropping it onto a clean basket. He placed it on the shelf and slid it down. “Fries, please, Connie.”

“You got it!”

Eren didn’t turn to look down where the fryers were but it sounded like Connie was eating more fries than he was cooking them.

Mikasa was mid rolling her eyes as she grabbed another slip and another plate that Jean just placed up from his side of the kitchen. “Would you like to tell her that yourself?”

“Mikasa, I would love to tell her than myself.” Eren grabbed the next order off the spinner, glancing over Sasha’s unbelievably messy handwriting to decipher what he was making.

“Just make the burger again, please, and without spitting in it.”

He looked up to see her walking backwards towards the swinging doors that led to the diner floor, a smile on her face that he had gotten quite used to in the year he spent working with her. It was nearly impossible not to feel a smile pulling at his lips as he watched her. “No promises.”

She was already gone through the doors but he heard her laugh even over the loud kitchen. He turned around, walking the short distance to the fridge to grab another burger patty. The meat sizzled on the grill the moment he dropped it down as he looked at Sasha’s order again. Was that a cheeseburger with…no cheese? God, sometimes he really did hate working with people.

He went to grab another patty but Jean was already in the way, holding two tomatoes to slice up. Eren moved around him to get to the fridge but Eren knew his fellow cook had something to say the way his stupid eyebrows were raised.

“What?” Eren grunted, grabbing another patty to drop on the grill.

“How long have we known each other?” Jean said, pulling out a knife while he placed the tomatoes on the cutting counter next to the grill.

“Too Goddamn long.” Eren looked back at the order slip. Extra…extra tomatoes and a side of coleslaw instead of fries. Second order was…cashews? No, that didn’t make any sense.

“Don’t you think I know you by now?”

Sasha swung in through the doors reaching for her orders left on the shelves in front of Jean.

“Hey, hey, Sasha, what the hell is this second order?” Eren asked holding up the paper.

“Oh, c’mon, Eren,” she groaned. “It says right there. Chicken sandwich with mayo, lettuce, and tomatoes, side of fries.”

“That doesn’t look like anything written in this chicken scratch.”

Sasha chose to ignore him and walked back out the doors.

“Can you just like text me the orders instead?”

That one did earn him a flash of her middle finger but seriously, she worked here almost longer than anyone. How she still couldn’t write coherently was beyond him. He got a chicken breast from the fridge to put on the grill before glancing up to the clock. Jesus, was it closing yet?

“C’mon, buddy,” Jean said as Eren looked back down to flip the burgers. “When’re you just gonna ask her out?”

Eren felt heat rise to his cheeks that had nothing to do with the grill in front of him. “Who? Sasha? I like her don’t get me wrong but I don’t think we quite mesh up like that. Connie, can you get me some coleslaw in a container?”

“On it,” he said as he put a basket of fries on the shelf, order sheet in front of it.

Jean rolled his eyes. “I meant Mikasa.”

Eren grabbed two buns and dropped them open on the grill, pressing his spatula over them. “It’s not like that.”

“Bullshit,” Jean snorted.

“Why the hell do you care? I thought you had a thing for her.”

Jean shrugged, sliding his cut up tomatoes into a container. “I did, until I saw how she looked at you.”

Eren’s breath caught in his throat but he grabbed two paper lined baskets from his side, and grabbed a tomato before Jean sealed the container. “She’s always busy.” He put the first burger together and placed it in the basket before sliding it down to Connie. “Fries, please, make sure some come off the floor.”

Connie snorted. “Is it  _that_ lady again?”

“So you’re gonna let her time schedule to keep you from even trying?” Jean was already wiping down the counters. It shouldn’t be too bad of a clean since Connie was working on it in between sides.

“Every time I’ve tried to hang out with her outside of work, save for maybe like twice she’s always been too busy. Either she really is just a busy person outside of work or she’s not interested. If she just wants to be work friends that’s fine.”

“Whose not interested?”

Eren didn’t even hear the doors open but Armin was standing in front of the shelves, watching curiously.

“No one,” Eren grunted and placed the second burger in the basket where Connie left the coleslaw.

“Need more fries? Cause I’m gonna shut off the fryer,” he called over.

“Yeah, one more basket.” Eren flipped the chicken on the grill.

“He won’t take a shot with Mikasa,” Jean said.

“Hey, will you shut your big mouth?” Eren hissed. “She could walk back here any minute.”

“She’s cleaning some tables and booths,” Armin said, leaning his arms up against the shelves.

Connie slid a basket of fries over to Eren. “I dunno, man, she’s always kinda seemed into you to me.”

“I’m not having this conversation with you morons.” He placed a bun on the grill for the chicken.

“But you do realize that you basically admitted that you’re totally into her.” Jean had that shit eating grin on his face and Eren really just wanted to punch him, granted, that was a common feeling in the kitchen.

“I think you should be legally allowed to murder your co-workers.”

“Eren,” Armin laughed. “I hate to tell you but I’m pretty sure everyone already knew.”

He pointed his spatula at them as he walked back to the fridge. “I hate all of you.” He grabbed what he needed for hopefully the last sandwich of the night so he could get some cleaning and prep done; he also promptly ignored the rest of his coworkers until Petra came in with a smile on her lips.

“And the doors are locked. We’re done for the night.”

Eren breathed a sigh of relief as he flipped off the grill, which was already completely cleaned. There was nothing worse than those last minute customers that dragged the night out way too long.

“Kitchen’s clean, and Connie’s finishing the dishes,” Jean said, already pulling off his apron.

“Food prepped for tomorrow? Everything restocked?” Petra asked though she already looked satisfied.

“All good,” Eren said. “Levi’s set to open in the morning. Trust me, I don’t like death threats.”

“Okay,” she chuckled. “Goodnight, boys.”

Jean waved, already bolting out the back door to go to God knows where.

“Need any help, Connie?” Eren asked, pulling his apron over his head to hang it up on the back rack.

Connie waved a soap covered hand. “Nope, you’re good. See you tomorrow!”

Eren pushed open the double doors and stepped into the retro styled diner. It basically looked like it was straight out of a movie about the old days; which plenty of costumers enjoyed. Sasha was busy counting the drawer with Petra doing some calculations on the counter. Armin was wiping down a table while Mikasa swept the floor near the door.

“Hey, Ar, I’m gonna walk back. I’ll see you when you get home.”

“Sure you don’t need a ride back?” Armin asked, looking up from the table.

“Nah, I know you wanna get back to campus to study. See you, Sasha, Petra.”

“Bye, asshole,” Sasha said, still flipping throw the drawer.

Eren knew better to think she was actually mad at him. He turned to the door where Mikasa stepped out of the way for him to get out. “Have a good night, Mik,” he said, flipping the lock on the door.

“You too,” she said with a smile. “See you tomorrow.”

“Same old, same old.” He gave her a wave as he pushed open the door, stepping out into the chilly night.

He wasn’t sure when the temperature started to drop but he really wished he brought a jacket with him. Eren glanced behind him at the diner, the sign above the small building off, but the lights inside still bright. He really did try not to think about what Jean was bugging him about. Mikasa was beautiful, and kind, smart, had that dry sense of humor he loved but if it wasn’t meant to be, wasn’t meant to be. He was more than happy to at least know he was coming to work to see her face and have her help him get through the nights he wanted to be anywhere but work.

His apartment complex wasn’t too far away and he managed to get home without absolutely freezing. Of course, it wasn’t until he got upstairs, got inside, made something to eat, and sat down that he realized he left his bag at work. Normally he’d say screw it and get it tomorrow but that medical term exam was coming up and if he didn’t memorize those stupid long words he was gonna be in for hell.

With a string of not so quiet curses and groans, he threw a jacket on over his work clothes and headed back out into the night. Thankfully he had a key to the store for the days he had to open the kitchen but at the same time he really just wanted to be back on his couch. He walked pretty quickly down the sidewalk, running across the street when he saw the diner which was now completely empty and dark.

Eren walked around the back as to not scare anyone who might drive by thinking he was breaking in or something. He was gonna head straight to the diner, grab his bag, and leave but something in the dimly lit parking lot caught his eye. It was normally an empty lot this time at night since all the other buildings around them had their own parking lot, but there was one car sitting there. It was parked kinda away from the street light, partially covered by shadows but he still knew that was Mikasa’s car.

It could be nothing, she could’ve gone out with Sasha and they just took one car but Eren still walked over to it. He just wanted to make sure everything was okay and then maybe text her to make sure she was okay too. He peered into the passenger side window expecting to see a car as neat and meticulous as Mikasa was but all he saw was a mess.

There were small boxes and bags everywhere, even the front seat. Clothes and other various items were spilled onto the seats, the floors. Eren furrowed his forehead and moved to take a better look at the back seat and the sight nearly made his heart stop.

Bundled under a few blankets was Mikasa laying down in the backseat. Her eyes were shut and she was shaking. His chest clenched so much it made it hard for him to remember to breathe and he nearly broke the damn window but he raised his hand and just knocked on it instead.

Mikasa shot up so quickly he at least knew she wasn’t hurt but from the terrified look in her red and swollen eyes, it didn’t make him feel any relief. She bit down on her lip and just stared at him wide eyed like she wasn’t sure what she should do.

“Mikasa,” he said as calmly as he could, not wanting her to ever feel afraid near him. “Can you open the door?”

She watched him for a second, her eyes looking more watery than before, before she shook her head.

“Please, talk to me,” he tried again. “It’s just me. I just wanna make sure you’re okay.”

Mikasa still didn’t move.

“I think you know me enough to know I’m not leaving you here alone, so please. Even if you don’t wanna talk, at least let me help.”

She still looked conflicted but she leaned forward and unlocked the door.

He gently opened the door, and crouched over so he was at her level but was careful not to get too much in her space. They were friends, yeah, but she was also clearly distressed and he didn’t wanna make her uncomfortable. “Are you okay?”

“I’m, um…” She was still dressed in her work uniform, blankets pooled around her legs as she sat on her knees. “Yeah, I’m okay.” Mikasa tried to give him a smile as she tucked some of her hair behind her ear.

He didn’t buy it for an instant. “Did something happen? Did someone hurt you?”

“No, no,” she said, reaching her hands out to him in reassurance. “I promise no one did anything to me.”

Eren reached a hand up to rub his chin. “Mikasa, I don’t wanna pry into your life but…” The boxes, the bags, the worn clothes, toothbrush and toothpaste resting in the center console, the fact she was laying under blankets in her back seat, it was starting to make this picture a little clearer. “Are you living in your car?”

Her face crumbled and the tears started to fall down her cheeks.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he said, slipping down onto the seat to sit next to her. He carefully reached a hand out to her shoulder, unsure if she’d be comfortable with that or not but she fell into him, her face landing on his shoulder. “It’s okay.” Eren wrapped his arms around her and, one hand rubbing her back as she cried.

He was baffled to say the least. When he came back to get his bag this was the last thing he expected, but something quite obviously wasn’t right, something she was hiding behind her smiles and I’m good’s at work. Like hell he was about to just leave her here. He waited until she calmed down a little, till he breathing evened out, till she lifted her head off his shoulder looking up at him.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly.

“No, need to be sorry about anything,” he said letting go of her so she could sit back if that made her more comfortable. “Just talk to me, Mik. What’s going on?”

She reached down for one of her blankets, wiping her face with it, make up smearing a little. “I, um, I couldn’t pay my rent, they kicked me out. With my scholarships to school, they didn’t allow me to take loans for living on campus. I just…” She looked at him, eyes sadder than he had ever seen them. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

“How long?” he asked, though his voice came out much stronger than he felt.

“Um…” She reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear again. “Three months.”

Holy shit. Eren felt like he was kicked in the gut. He saw her almost every day in those three months and he had no Goddamn idea this was going on. He never even suspected something was wrong. She was suffering, living out of her car and he never even knew to help her.

“It’s okay, though,” she said quickly, reaching up to wipe her eyes. “I’ve gotten pretty used to it. There’s a laundry place nearby, and if I pay a little bit a month I can use the gym showers down the street.  I know winter is coming but I’m sure I can figure something.”

“Why didn’t you say something?” he asked. “Mikasa, you can always come to me, to anyone we work with and we’d drop anything for you.”

This time she looked embarrassed. “Well, I didn’t exactly know what to say, but I didn’t wanna burden anyone with anything. I’ve lived most all my life alone, I can do this too. I’ll figure it out, this is just temporary.”

Eren really did admire her independence, the way she put other’s feelings far above her own but he wasn’t gonna sit here and let it go. “Yeah, you’ll figure it out, I’m sure you will but you’re not doing it here. You’re coming back home with me, sleeping under an actual roof and we’ll figure it out from there.”

“Eren…” she started but she looked hesitant. “I can’t put you out like that. I promise I’m okay.”

“You might be okay, Mikasa, but I sure as hell am not okay going back to my apartment and knowing you’re sleeping in a cramped car alone. I will always try and put your feelings first but this I can’t do. Where’s the car keys?”

She was quiet, and he honestly didn’t know if she was gonna force him out or do what he was asking. Mikasa leaned forward towards the front seat and picked up the keys out of the cup holder, dropping them in his hand.

“Thank you,” he said, pushing himself out of the backseat, carefully closing it behind him. He walked the short distance to the driver’s seat and after pushing the stuff off of it so he could sit down, he started it up.

Mikasa didn’t say anything as he drove her car the distance up the street to where he lived and a part of him wondered if she was mad at him for basically forcing her to come home with him. He didn’t want her to be upset, but he also just couldn’t let her sleep in her car alone all night. She already did way longer than he ever would’ve wanted. No one deserved that, let alone her.

He parked the car near his own and shut it off. With a sigh he turned back to look at her, only to see her sitting on the edge of the middle seat watching him with her dark eyes. “Look, I’m sorry but you deserve so much better than living in a cramped car. All I ask is you stay one night here, and then I’ll do everything I can to help you find another place to live, okay?”

“Thank you, Eren.” Her eyes were watery again but this time she had a small smile on her lips.

He let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding.

“No one’s ever…no one’s ever done this for me before.”

“That’s what friends are for right?” He gave her a smile before nodding towards the building. “Let’s get inside, okay?”

She scooted over to the side of the car to grab a few things before getting out, her bare feet hitting the pavement. Eren led her up the stairs to the apartment he shared with Armin.

It wasn’t any of his business what her life was like before he met her, and if she never wanted to tell him that was perfectly okay but this, this he had control over. He’d do anything to make sure she never had to sleep in a car again.

Eren pushed open the door, the apartment looking just as he left it; food on the counter and all. “Alright, it’s not much but, hey, we’ve got beds.”

“Oh, I’m really fine on the couch,” Mikasa said as he shut the door behind him.

Eren dropped his keys on the counter and shrugged his jacket off which now probably smelt more like French fries than it did before. “Bed is non-negotiable, sorry. Unless the idea of sleeping in my bed makes you feel uncomfortable then you can have Armin’s.”

“I don’t know how he’d feel about you giving up his bed,” she snorted, following Eren down the short hallway past the kitchen and living room.

“He’d do it for you, I don’t need to ask. So my room’s here and Ar’s is right here,” Eren said tapping the door across the hall. “Bathroom is that other door. You got something to sleep in aside from your uniform?”

“Ah yeah,” she said holding up a bag in her hands.

“I don’t have classes in the morning so I can wash that and anything else you’d liked cleaned while you’re here. Feel free to use anything or eat anything here, promise we don’t care.”

She really was smiling now. “Thank you, Eren, really.”

He waved her off, stepping out of the hallway so she didn’t feel pressured to do anything with him hovering over her shoulder. “Don’t worry about it.”

He was just gonna leave it at that but there was something popped into his head. Maybe it wasn’t tactful to ask, but it fell from his lips anyway. “Hey, Mikasa?”

She turned from the bathroom door, looking over her shoulder to him. “Yeah?”

“What was making you cry when I found you?”

She paused and he actually thought he crossed a line this time. Mikasa walked over to where he was standing, though in the dim light of the TV he left on he thought her face looked a little red. “I, ah, well I kinda heard you and Jean talking tonight.”

Eren was pretty sure he felt all the blood drain from his body mixed with the distinct urge to throw up. “So, hey, if Jean isn’t in tomorrow night, try not to look in the back dumpster.”

Mikasa reached out a hand out to hit him on the arm. “No, it’s not like that, I was upset with myself. That I was so afraid of anyone finding out, afraid of what they would think I kept making up excuses to someone I actually wanted to say yes to every time. So thank you for showing me that, um, that it’s okay.”

“Always,” he breathed.

She looked like she was about to go in the bathroom but she hesitated. She dropped her bag and walked back up to him. Mikasa leaned up to press a quick kiss to his cheek before looking back to give him a smile even he hadn’t seen yet. It was almost like there was a little weight off her shoulders that he hadn’t even known was there.

Eren watched her until she shut the bathroom door behind her, the sound of the shower running quickly after. He flopped down on the couch, running one of his hands through his hair. He was a mix of astounded this night actually happened and glad it did before something happened worse happened. She was okay though; he’d make sure she was always okay.

It was only when he leaned forward to grab his food off the coffee table that he realized he never got his bag from the store.


	23. Get the Girl

_**Anonymous:**  eremika AU prompt: eren's motto is "its either i get the girl or i get the girl" and then he met mikasa pleaseeeee_

* * *

 

Eren got the girl, that’s what he did. He knew just the right way flash his smile, say the right words, how to make just about any girl he wanted fall for him on the spot. Granted, he only wanted her to fall for him for a few weeks and he’d more on from there. It was how Eren preferred to live from high school past college; nothing permanent, just floating through till he found whatever it was he wanted to do next. It worked for him. He traveled a lot, always moved around, always had the perfect excuse to break something off. Much to his friends’ annoyance, Eren always got the girl.

That was until he met  _her._

He saw her at a café he frequented. She was sitting outside at one of the tables, tea in front of her and her nose in a book. Even from a distance she was breath taking. Her black hair was pinned up behind her hair, light complexion mixing perfectly with her dark eyes. Eren had to talk to her and he thought it would be just like any other girl he met. He figured he’d lay it on and maybe have company that night.

It started off like all conversations he had with girls: he made some excuse as to why he had to sit down and she let him. See, good start? Yeah, it didn’t last that long. Eren found himself having a hard time pulling anything over this girl. She wouldn’t even tell him her name. Now, hard to get Eren could work with but this was something completely different. She wasn’t interested at all. That he had no idea what to say to.

It was a disaster. The beautiful, tea loving, book reading girl practically ignored him in favor of that book. She gave him one word answers or light hums, barely ever even looking up at him. Finally, he had enough and asked if that book was really better than anything he had to say.

She looked up at him, and Eren would never forget what she said to him. “It’s better than a subpar conversation with someone who only cares about them self and getting some for one night.”

He left after that and while he turned to give her a last look, she never looked back up at him. No one, no one ever called him out like that. Girls always loved what he had to offer and yeah, they might not like it when he broke it off but hey, that’s just how he operated. Regardless, he never got turned down like that before and it bothered him. He didn’t even want to go out that night and try and redeem himself; Jean practically had to dragged him out anyway.

“What’s your deal?” Jean asked, sipping down his beer at the bar. “This thing with that girl can’t be bothering you  _that_ much. You can’t have perfect luck after all, thank God. You needed a kick to your ego.”

Eren gave him a kick to the leg instead.

“Is it bothering you because she turned you down?” Armin asked from the other side of Eren. “Or was it how?”

“I dunno,” Eren shrugged. He really didn’t. It’s not like he  _never_ got turned down but it was never like that. No one ever called him out before like that. Was that…was that really what people saw in him? Okay, yeah, he liked short relationships, the less ties the better but selfish? He didn’t think that was selfish. It was just how he was.

“C’mon, those girls over there are eyeing you. You gonna let that just pass?” Jean asked, though he was more amused than encouraging.

Eren did. He didn’t even want to talk to any other girls at the bar that night and he went home just as alone as he went out. Her words rang in his ears all night.

He found himself going to the same café the next morning, half hoping she wouldn’t be there. Alas, his luck really was running out because there she was, her hair still up, tea steam blowing in the wind and book laid out in front of her. Eren didn’t even bother getting a drink; he just walked over and sat down at her table again. What he was gonna say he had no idea, but he had to know why she said that.

“Well,” she said, not looking up from her book. “If it isn’t Don Juan. Sucker for punishment are you?”

Eren ignored her jab. “Why did you say that? I mean, yesterday, not today. Your reference wasn’t lost on me believe it or not.”

She did look up that time. Eren didn’t even think anyone could have such beautiful eyes. “You don’t get this a lot do you?”

“No.”

“Were you even listening to yourself? You never asked my name. Everything that came off your tongue was about yourself, and I use that term loosely because it all sounded fake to me. Have you ever been truthful with a woman you were trying to talk up before?”

Eren figured he could lie but lying about being truthful seemed kinda low on the moral scale. “I have, but it’s not often.”

“Why?”

“Because this,” he gestured to himself. “Works.”

The girl nodded. “Oh I’m sure it does. How many one night stands do you have a week? How many quick relationships that lead to nothing?” Her face changed, it softened. “Aren’t you lonely?”

No, he wanted to say. Of course not. He could get any girl he wanted, how could he ever be lonely? But how many times did he leave some strange place in the morning, how many times did he never call someone back and try and strike something up with someone didn’t know. The way he lived was easy, it was simple, but was it gratifying?

“Okay,” she said, closing her book. “Tell me something about yourself, really about yourself.”

“Uhh.” Eren wasn’t sure what to say. He tried not to talk about himself too often. “I live with my best friend. We’ve been friends since we were kids.”

“What’s their name?”

“Armin. He’s a history professor at the local college and engaged. I’m the best man.”

“See, someone thinks highly of you. Tell me something else about yourself.”

“Okay.” Eren leaned against the table. “I’m still in medical school.”

“And you have time to hit on all these girls, now I’m impressed.”

He snorted. “I’m in my practical so it’s more work less school work.”

“What kind of doctor?” she asked.

“I work in the ER. It gets a lot of shit but I chose to work there.” He would’ve stopped there, kept it simple but her eyes were kind as he spoke, like she actually cared about what he had to say about himself.  “The kind of people you get are normally accidents and they’re scared or their loved ones are scared. Being able to help them makes me feel like I’m actually helping them as opposed to here have some drugs be on your way, you know?”

She was quiet for a moment. “And you’re telling me you never tried that on a girl before?”

“Believe it or not, no,” he laughed. “I try to keep that Eren away from this.”

“What’s wrong with that Eren?” she asked.

“That Eren used to get taken to the ER for beating up bullies.”

“Did they beat you up first?”

“No, Armin.”

She watched him carefully and Eren swore he saw a small smile on her lips. “For the record I think I like that Eren better.”

“Nah, you wouldn’t. He’s really boring. He sits at home, makes popcorn and marathons TV shows on Netflix when he doesn’t want to do anything. He works too much and can be very forgetful; he has eaten a whole carton of ice cream trying to stay awake doing an overnight. It’s not pretty.”

She laughed. She actually laughed and it sent chills down his spine. “I still think I like that Eren.” She paused and gave him a smile that nearly melted him. “I have to go to my own job though not as glamorous as working at a hospital,” she said as she shoved her book in her bag and grabbed a hold of her tea.

Eren wanted to ask her where she worked, what she did, did she like it, what she did when she wasn’t at work, all the things he never cared to ask a girl before but she was already on her feet.

“I have breakfast here every morning,” she said. “Next time maybe try acting more like yourself.”

It was an invitation, an invitation to come back and talk to her. He was pretty sure he knew how the receiving end of some of his own charms felt now. She turned to leave into the café.

“Wait!” Eren called, pushing his own chair out as he stood up. “What’s your name?”

She turned around and rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. “It’s about time you remembered your manners. Mikasa, Mikasa Ackerman.”

Mikasa. Her name was just as beautiful as she was. He watched her leave and sat back down at the now empty table. Mikasa, she shot him down and told him exactly how it was. She didn’t take any of his crap and saw right through him when he tried. She called him out. He should be running the other way, going back to his simple life of fluttering through the girls who did fall for it but he didn’t want to. He didn’t even really know why. He chose not to be himself with girls; he made that choice himself after one too many heartache. Obviously, he wasn’t what they wanted so he changed to always get the girl and never feel that sting again. Was he willing to risk going down this road? Mikasa. He still didn’t know.

All Eren knew was exactly where he’d be tomorrow morning.


	24. Different

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for Sexual Situations and Language.

_**Anonymous:**  hi! i love your fics- i was wondering if you'd write an eremika high school smut but like a i-know-you-wanna-wait-and-i'm-totally-cool-with-that-but-somehow-we-ended-up-doing-pretty-much-everything-but-sex-anyways-and-i-really-never-thought-i'd-be-into-dry-humping-and-shit kind of smut lol_

* * *

 

Eren knew Mikasa wanted to wait. She never really specified if she wanted to wait till she was married or till she was out of high school but her reasoning didn’t really matter. She said she wanted to wait and that was fine with him. He loved her; of course he’d respect her wishes.

That’s not to say it didn’t make it a little bit difficult when he had his gorgeous girlfriend on his bed, her hands tangled in his hair, and her leg swung up over his hip. Eren already lost his shirt somewhere, his hands tight on the bare skin of her waist as he kept her close to him.

Mikasa let out a small cry when he broke their kiss, trailing his lips down her neck and pushing her shirt farther up. She leaned her head over so he could have more room as he gently nipped at her skin. Everything about Mikasa was perfect; even now she knew exactly how to kiss him, where to tug at his hair, where to touch him to send his mind spinning. They were actually supposed to be at the library down the street while his mom wasn’t home but Eren thought this was a much better way to spend his time.

He slipped his hand under the bunched up fabric of her shirt and grabbed a hold of her bra clad breast. The sound that fell from her lips had chills going down his spine. She pulled her shirt up over her head and tossed it to the ground before wrapping her arms around him again, her lips meeting his.

This wasn’t anything new to them. Just because Mikasa wanted to wait did mean they couldn’t find other ways to give each other pleasure and they did. Sometimes it was a touch of a hand, sometimes a warm mouth kissing down to the places they longed to be touched. As long as it was something Mikasa was okay with, then he had no issues with it.

Her back arched into his hand, pressing her breast right into his palm. He snaked a hand around her back and quickly popped the strap of her bra. Mikasa broke their kiss as she pulled her bra off, tossing it down with her shirt. She reached back up to his lips, their bare chests pressing together in a way that had Eren groaning into her mouth. He didn’t think his pants could get any tighter.

He reached back down to grab at her hips, pulling her into him as he rolled his hips into her. Normally he’d start moving his hands down to loosen her pants or his own but he didn’t get a chance. Not when Mikasa grinded her hips right back into his. The sensation had his fingers digging into her, a moan falling from his lips. When she did it again, he thought it might lose it.

Eren pressed his weight against her until her back was pressed into his bed. With hands still gripping onto her hips he rolled his hips back into hers.

“Eren,” she groaned as he leaned in to trail hot kisses along her neck.

His name on her lips only encouraged him to keep grinding against her, her hips reaching up to meet his each time. It wasn’t very smooth what with the fabric of their jeans between them but Eren never thought the simple motions could make him lose himself so much. He could feel her heat against his erection, he could almost feel how wet she was through her jeans. It was enough to make him groan against her skin, to make him keep grinding against her core.

He must’ve been hitting just the right spot for Mikasa too with the way she was withering underneath him, eyes closed and head thrown back against the bed. Cries were falling from her lips every time he pressed into her urging him on to press harder. Her toes were curling against his legs and he understood the feeling, heat was already pooling in the pit of his stomach. He kissed down her neck and over her collar bone before reaching the soft skin of her breast. Her hands quickly moved to curl in his hair as he ran his tongue over her nipple.

His name was on her lips again when he took her into his mouth, his hips never ceasing their movements with hers. Mikasa’s hands were tight in his hair, cries filling his ears as she moved frantically against him. Just the sound of her voice, the way she said his name let along the way she was grinding into his arousal had Eren getting pushed closer to his own edge every second. This was different he had to admit but just as good as anything he had ever done with her. He loved making her feel this way and he loved the way she always made him feel.

He reached one hand up to grasp down on the breast he had been sucking on to quickly move to the other one, taking her nipple in his mouth once more. That did it. He could tell by the way her body tensed up before her hips moved sporadically against his, the way she was moaning his name.

“Fuck,” he groaned, his forehead against her chest as his own release rushed through his body.

Her grip on his hair loosened and she took to running her fingers through his locks gently instead. Eren pressed a kiss to her chest before rolling over to lay on the bed next to her. He draped an arm over her waist as she scooted in closer to him, her head leaning against his.

“Where’d you get that idea?” he mumbled against her cheek.

She shrugged though Eren could feel her smiling.

“I never thought I’d be into it but shit.” Aside from the semi uncomfortable way his boxers were sticking to him now, it was pretty fantastic. Granted, he really shouldn’t have been surprised, everything with Mikasa was fantastic.

She chuckled, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Me too. We should probably get to the library before your mom does come home though.”

Mikasa was probably right, but Eren hitched his leg in between hers and trailed kisses along her shoulder.

“Eren,” she laughed. “We should go.” She didn’t make any effort to actually go though not when his lips hit her neck again.

They still had time.


	25. Market

_**adult-sasuke:**   No but how about "my mom is on a crazy cooking kick and she's trying weird recipes and sent me to an asian market to find something and i can't find it and look I know this is horrifically stereotypical but since your asian im going to ask: what the fuck is a durian"_

* * *

Eren squinted at the grocery list his mother gave him. He couldn’t even pronounce half these words let alone know what the hell they were. He pulled his keys out the engine and opened his door, stepping outside into the bright parking lot of the address she gave him before she made him to grocery shopping for her. It’s not that Eren minded helping his mom, or even minded her cooking food from other countries. Yet when he looked up at the small Asian mart in front of him, signs advertising more words he couldn’t read he knew this wouldn’t quite be as simple as going to Walmart. Granted, Walmart probably didn’t have…he looked down at the list again. Yakisoba? Furikake? Kewpie Mayonnaise? Why couldn’t she just ask for Hellmann’s for Christ’s sake.

His mom was so lucky he loved her so much.

He shoved his keys in his pocket and walked the short distance up the building. It was actually lot larger than it looked, with packages and packages of food crammed down long aisles all sporting characters and pictures that were unfamiliar. All the way in the back looked to be fresh produce and fish but of course his mom didn’t pick out anything he could pronounce.

Eren pushed his sunglasses onto his head as the man at the counter gave a small greeting. Eren tried to smile back in return but he was a bit more concerned on how he was gonna do this without looking like an ignorant asshole. He slipped down the first aisle glancing down at the list again before looking back at the shelves. Well, it was unfortunate practically everything was in Japanese. He skimmed the list seeing if there was something easy he could start with.

Okay, rice. Rice was on the list and at least he knew what that looked like. Eren looked up and down the aisle he was in before turning the corner to the next one. He looked down the aisle and nearly cried out in victory when he saw rice…shelves and shelves of rice. What kinda rice did his mom want? Eren grabbed a bag of white rice. He wasn’t gonna go through all the types of rice to find one. This was fine.

There, one thing down. He looked down the list again to the one thing she circled. “Durian?” he mumbled to himself probably pronouncing it very incorrectly. He had about no idea what that was but obviously it was what his mom really wanted for her meal. Why couldn’t she have picked something simple like sushi? Or chicken lo mein?

Eren supposed he could just call her and ask her what the hell he was looking for but she’d probably just give him a hard time. It wasn’t worth that. Besides he was pretty sure she didn’t even know what she was making.

Though, he could call Mikasa.

Okay, it was a pretty horrible assumption that just because she was Asian she’d know whatever his mom wrote down for him. On the other hand, she was Asian. Eren shook his head. No, he had only known Mikasa for a little less than a year and yeah, he talked to her nearly every day now they were on break from school but he didn’t want to mess that up. He wasn’t just gonna call her and ask what kinda Asian food this was. She might never talk to him again.

He walked back up the way he came, looking back over the aisles trying to pick something, anything out. There were a few things that had English labels but nothing that was matching the grocery list. Hell, he could barely read the words on the grocery list. He was gonna be in here till they closed at this rate. Eren groaned.

This was gonna go horribly.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and skimmed the top few names on the recently called list till he found her name. Eren put the phone up to his ear as he walked deeper into the store, hoping the cashier and other customers wouldn’t hear him. He halfway hoped she didn’t answer.

“Hey, Eren, what’s up?” her voice spoke into his ear.

“Hey, nothing much.” He looked around him to make sure no one was there.

Mikasa laughed. “So you called me to tell me you’re doing nothing?”

“Would it be a problem if I did?”

“You’re stalling. What is it?”

Eren really wasn’t sure how he met one girl at school for one year and she already knew him like the back of her hand. Granted, he saw her or talked to her practically every day of that year. He just hadn’t quite got the courage to ask gorgeous pre-med student out yet. “I may have a question for you.”

She was laughing again. “You may?”

“Oh God,” he sighed, shifting the bag of rice in his hands. “Okay, this is gonna sound horribly stereotypical and please don’t hate me but my mom decided she wants to cook around the world or some shit. This week it’s Asian style food and, Mikasa, what the fuck is a durian?”

There was a bit of silence on the line that nearly made Eren’s heart stop. When Mikasa started to laugh he didn’t know if he should feel relieved or afraid of what she was gonna say.

“It’s a fruit,” she said and even Eren could hear how amused she was. “It has a very hard and very spikey shell. Smells disgusting when you open it up but it tastes delicious.”

Eren peered down towards the produce section. There were quite a lot of things he didn’t recognize at all, including a weirdly shaped spikey thing. Huh, imagine that.

“It’s more of a Southeast Asia fruit than a Japanese one so you’re lucky my mom uses it sometimes.”

“So we’re not gonna talk about how horrible of a question that was ever right?”

“I was the first person you thought of when your mom sent you with no reference to go shopping at an Asian Market. I’m flattered actually.”

He snorted. “Well, thank you for helping and thank you for not being offended.”

“Hey, next time your mom wants to cook Asian cuisine, pick me up first. I can help you shop for the stuff easier in person than over the phone.”

Mikasa lived a bit away from him but at the prospect of seeing her he really didn’t care. “Alright, I’ll see what’s on the menu for next week.”

“Oh, Eren, is there a freezer there?”

He looked around the area. “Yeah, there’s some up against the wall.”

“Buy some taiyaki, the packages with fish on them, for dessert. Trust me.”

“Alright, will do, Mika.”

“Bye.”

“See you.” He couldn’t bite back a smile as slipped his phone back in his pocket and he headed right for the spikey fruit things. That turned out better than he thought it would.

He’d have to make sure his mom asked him to shop here again next week. Maybe the week after too.


	26. Jealousy

_**Anonymous:**  Hi! Can you please write a fic (if you're not busy and if you dont mind haha) about Eren and Mikasa living together in an apartment with Armin during their University days. Then one day, Mikasa brought a guy home because they'll be doing a project or something (and Eren kinda feels this guy likes Mikasa) and even tho they're just best friends; Eren can't help but get jealous? Then maybe eventually he confesses to Mikasa?_

* * *

Eren slipped the key in the door of his apartment wanting nothing more than to eat and fall asleep on the couch after today’s day of classes, but what he wasn’t excepting some strange ass guy he never saw before sitting on the couch he had plans to sleep on.

“Hey, Eren,” Mikasa called from her spot also on the couch, text book in her lap.

“Hey.” He slowly closed the door behind him and his confusion, and probably some dislike, must’ve shown on his face because Mikasa gestured to the guy sitting next to her.

“This is Jean. We got paired together for a project for Lit.”

“Hey, nice to meet you,” the guy smiled but Eren didn’t like him already. He was smug, and had some arrogant look in his eyes. Eren knew that look; he saw it in countless guys when they got paired with Mikasa, smart and beautiful Mikasa. Yeah, big deal, guy, so what you get to do a project with her. Eren lived with her. Once the project is done, she’ll never talk to you again even if you try. Eren knew it would happen because he knew Mikasa, so he really didn’t understand why it irritated the hell outta him every single time.

“Yeah, hey,” he grunted, dropping his bag on the kitchen counter. “Where’s Armin?”

Mikasa was the one who looked a little bit confused now. “In his room I think.”

“Okay.” Eren really hadn’t been in a bad mood until about five minutes ago when he walked in that door. That really wasn’t what he wanted to see.

“What’s his problem?” Eren heard Jean ask but he was already walking down the hall to Armin’s room.

Eren opened the door and promptly shut it, probably a little too hard but whatever. Armin was sitting on his bed looking over some papers in front of him. Eren slouched against the door.

“What’s wrong?” Armin asked without bothering to look up.

“Whose that guy?”

Armin glanced over his papers. “Someone in Mikasa’s class I assume since they are doing a project together.”

“Then how come he keeps staring at her like that?”

“Probably because he’s doing a project with an attractive girl.”

“Armin.”

He dropped his papers with a sigh. “What do you want me to tell you? You know that’s the only reason he’s here so why are you bothering to get jealous when next week we’ll never see him again.”

But what if they did? What if Mikasa actually liked this one, and what if he did start to come over all the time? The thought made his stomach turn. “I’m not jealous.”

“Okay, Eren, whatever you say.”

“You’re no help. I’m gonna make something to eat.”

Armin sighed with a small laugh. “Please don’t poison our guest.”

“No promises.” Eren turned and slipped back out into the hallway to head back to where Mikasa and whatever his name was were.

Jealous? No, Mikasa was one of his best friends and she deserved the best. That’s all it was. Some guy trying to get with her in her class was not good enough. Granted, maybe Eren should give the guy a break. Eren may have jumped to conclusions when he walked in, maybe this one wouldn’t be all flirty and gross with her.

“Hey, Mika,” Eren said when he walked back into the living room/kitchen area. Okay, he may have intentionally used his name for her but whatever, this guy did need to learn his place as well. “You want something to eat?”

A smile twitched at her lips. “Only if you’re being generous enough to make something for everyone.”

He leaned up against the kitchen counter overlooking the living room. “I suppose. What do you want?”

She glanced over to Jean. “Anything you’d like? Eren’s a good cook, I promise, much better than me.”

That dumb smile crossed Jean’s mouth. “I dunno, I’m pretty sure anything you touched would be amazing.”

Eren met Mikasa’s glance and he rolled his eyes. He was very satisfied to see her bite back a laugh. “How about my mom’s popcorn? Sound good?” Okay, and maybe he purposefully picked one of Mikasa’s favorite foods to make.

Sure enough her eyes lit up in a way that even Jean noticed because for the first time since Eren walked in Jean looked over at him. There was a mix of confusion and irritation in Jean’s eyes that Eren reveled in. He started to pull out the bowl and the ingredients he’d need to make the snack and waited right till Jean opened his mouth to say something to Mikasa.

“What class is this for?” Eren asked, once again getting that frustrated look from the boy on the couch.

“Literature, like she said,” he grunted, clearly a little annoyed with Eren’s presence. Well, good, as it should be.

Okay, maybe Eren was being a bit of a dick  but, c’mon, this guy wasn’t Mikasa’s type at all so why even let him have some hope. Well, come to think of it, Eren wasn’t even sure what Mikasa’s type was. She didn’t date all that much and when she did he had a tendency of scaring them off. She never seemed too upset over it so he figured she must not’ve liked them that much or he would’ve gotten reamed out.

“Which book?” Eren asked, breaking up some chocolate to melt over the popcorn.

Jean looked like he was gonna bite back again but Mikasa just gave Eren an amused look. “Why? It’s not like you ever read anything when you took Lit anyway.”

“I have strengths, finding symbolism everywhere is not one of them.” He flipped on the stove. “And that’s a lie. I liked reading that one book, what was it called again?” Eren remembered the name of the book just fine.

“What,  _Frankenstein_?”

“Yeah, how could you not? Mary Shelly created sci-fi, how awesome is that?”

“You just liked fighting with everyone who sympathized with the Monster instead of Dr. Frankenstein, Eren.”

He put the chocolate on the stove to heat up. “Dude just wanted to create something for science, I can respect that.”

“Are you two done flirting or can we get back to work?” Jean’s voice was sharp, his gaze narrowed.

“Relax,” Eren said, mixing the chocolate as it started to heat up.

“Ah, sorry.” Mikasa turned back to Jean, her cheeks a little red. “We’ve known each other for a very long time.”

“It’s fine, I’d just really like to get this done already instead of wasting a bunch of Goddamn time.” His tone was still harsh as he flipped through his book in his lap and it struck a nerve. Eren really didn’t care if this guy snapped at him, but not at Mikasa, she didn’t do anything wrong. Especially now that she was glancing down in her book, her shoulders tensing up around her neck; Eren knew that sign.

“Hey, don’t talk to her like that. I’m sorry I interrupted your whatever you’re doing but don’t take that out on her.” Eren really wasn’t sorry, but it sounded better at least and he just didn’t like anyone who made Mikasa upset.

“Then why don’t you just leave?” Jean’s tone was a little better this time but his eyes were still narrowed. “As far as I’m aware you’re not her brother or her boyfriend so she doesn’t need a babysitter.”

“What if I was her boyfriend?” Eren crossed his arms against his chest. His heart leapt up into his throat at the thought. What if he was? “You think I’d stand there and let you drool over her then talk to her like that without punching you in the fucking face? Cause we’re gonna find out real quick here.”

Jean stood to his feet, text book falling to the couch but Mikasa also stood up too. “Jean, I think we should finish this another time.”

He looked conflicted for a moment, like he wanted to stay and try and take Eren up on his offer but he relented. Grabbing his books and mumbling a goodbye to Mikasa, he left the apartment without another word. A part of Eren was relieved that ass was gone but now it just left him and Mikasa watching each other from across the room and she didn’t look particularly amused. In the silence between them it dawned on Eren what he had said, what he had done. At the time it just felt so natural to react that way but now he had no idea what to say to her. He turned away from her gaze and went to mix the chocolate again, pouring some peanuts into it as well. It didn’t take too much longer till she was standing next to him.

“Why do you always do that?”

“Do what?” he grunted, sticking some popcorn into the microwave.

“Somehow make whatever guy who happens to be around me storm off without ever another look my way.”

Eren looked over to her. “Do you want them to see you again?”

She paused biting her bottom lip. “That’s beside the point.”

“Then what is the point, Mikasa?”

“Why do you get so jealous?”

There was that word again. He always denied it, that it wasn’t jealousy it was just looking out for Mikasa. He loved her, he wanted her to be safe, to be cared for, to smile, to laugh and none of those guys could make her smile like he could. It was standing right there in the middle of the kitchen reaching for a bag of peanut butter chips that he realized jealousy was exactly what it was. He didn’t like any of those guys because they tried to make her smile too, and he wanted it to just be him. He didn’t want any other guy to think they had a chance with her because he was already there telling her how beautiful, how amazing, how wonderful she was.

Eren suddenly didn’t know what to tell her. “How much popcorn do you want?”

Mikasa arched an eyebrow at him at first, but a smile tugged at her lips. “Two bags so that way you don’t have a chance to eat it all.”

“I do not eat it all.”

She snorted. “Yes, you do. What do you wanna watch?”

“Whatever you do.”

Mikasa nodded and went to sit down on the couch to pick up the remote to put something on.

Eren tried to focus on doing the rest of the prep for the popcorn: get the bags in a big bowl, pour the chocolate mix over it so all the popcorn got covered, pop in the fridge, add the peanut butter chips, pop in the fridge again before grabbing it, and go sit down next to Mikasa on the couch. He placed he bowl in her lap, and looked over at her eyes watching him.

He still had no idea what to say, what to tell her, how to explain how he felt. Their shoulders were brushing against each other. Maybe he didn’t have to say anything; this was Mikasa and she knew him better than anyone. He carefully reached one arm around her shoulders, pulling her a little closer to him.

Mikasa leaned her head against his shoulder, her body curling into him as she popped some popcorn in her mouth.

Eren let out a breath he hadn’t know he was holding and rested his head against her’s, reaching in for some popcorn.

“Don’t eat it all,” she said watching the TV but there was a smile on her lips.

“ _You_  don’t eat it all.”

“No promises.” She hesitated for a moment. “Please don’t threaten any more people who I study with. No one can ever hold a candle to how I feel about you.”

He felt a grin pulling at his mouth as he glanced down to her to see Mikasa was already looking up at him. He put a finger under her chin, tilting her face towards his. Eren could feel her warm breath on his lips as he leaned into her.  “No promises.”


	27. Early

_**Anonymous:**  Have you ever imagined a modern AU where Eren ,who is coincidentally on duty, becomes Mikasa's doctor during her labor?_

* * *

 

Eren wasn’t the biggest fan of doing overnights at the hospital but everyone had to do them regardless, and especially since one of the delivery doctors was already out on vacation. So Eren found himself leaning up against one of the nurse’s station trying to keep himself up with his third cup of coffee. There was one girl who wasn’t quite ready to deliver yet but her doctor was on the way so he wouldn’t have to handle that one. Other than that it was a pretty quiet night for babies being born. Despite what the movies said, most people would wait to come to the hospital until the morning unless their water broke or were in too much pain to wait it out.

Eren pulled out his phone from his pocket, the clock reading around 3am. He thought about calling Mikasa just to make sure she was okay but he also didn’t want to wake her up if she was asleep.

“Worried about her?” Petra, the head nurse on the floor, pinched his shoulder as she walked by, carrying some supplies with her.

“Nah, she’s fine,” he said, turning around to lean his back against the nurse’s station. “She’s with my mom and dad tonight just in case.”

“How hard did she fight that one?” Petra gave him a grin as she started to fill up some of the racks nearby.

“My mom had to tell Mikasa it was so my mom would feel better, and that she’d worry too much if Mikasa was home alone.”

“Did it work?”

Eren snorted, dropping his phone back in his pocket. “Barely, Mikasa always insists she can do everything herself, eight months pregnant or not.”

“And with twins at that. She doing okay though?”

“Yeah, she’s fine. No problems or anything. She’s healthy, babies are healthy. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Petra nodded before heading back around the corner to do whatever else she had to that night. Eren thought maybe he should go check on the other woman in the prep room just to make sure things weren’t escalating faster than her doctor got here. It didn’t seem to be the case but you never knew with deliveries.

“Dr. Jaeger?”

Eren turned his head towards the younger nurse sitting behind the counter. “Yeah, what’s up?”

Her eyes were on the computer screen, scrolling through something though Eren couldn’t quite tell what it was from his angle. “Are you related to a Mikasa Jaeger?”

“Uh, yeah,” he tried to lean in closer to see what the nurse was looking at. “That’s my wife, why?”

The nurse looked surprised for a moment but she pointed to the screen. “She was just admitted downstairs, they’re bringing her up now.”

Panic was the first thing Eren could settle on feeling. “What? Why? Is something wrong?”

The nurse shook her head. “It says she’s in labor.”

Despite the fact Eren just had the thought that anything could happen during a delivery, he still heard himself saying the words, “But it’s too early.”

“Should I get her file ready?” the nurse asked, looking a little unsure, probably not used to having the doctor being the one to start to freak out. A little bit, just a little bit, he had it under control.

“Um, yeah,” he said, rubbing his forehead and trying to keep his heart from racing. “Get everything ready for her please.”

“Should I call her doctor?”

His stomach sank. Her doctor was the one who was on vacation. “No, she’s not in the state right now.”

The nurse nodded and started to move around behind the station but what she was doing Eren wasn’t paying much attention to. He was the only doctor here. He had to help Mikasa. He had done it a thousand times before but this was different. This was Mikasa and these were his babies. It was so much different than a normal patient.

“Hey, Eren, you look like you’ve seen a ghost? What’s the matter?” Petra was standing in front of him, her eyes concerned as she watched him.

Eren didn’t even see her come up in front of him. “They think Mikasa’s in labor.”

“Already?” Petra didn’t look surprised but she had been working on this floor since long before Eren got his doctorate, she was friends with his father she worked here so long, it probably took a lot to really surprise her. “Guess those little ones didn’t want to wait any longer, hmm? It could be nothing too, don’t worry about it.”

He nodded. It could be false contractions, it could be another type of pain they’d need to look into, it could be anything but actual labor but really the thought of any of those was making his stomach turn. What if something was wrong? What if he had to deliver the babies? What if he did something wrong?

“Hey, knock it off,” Petra said reaching up to tap him on the head. “How many pregnant woman have you dealt with before? I know it’s scary, it’s your family, I get it. You’re the only one here. You have to be husband, father, and doctor, and that’s a lot but you’re a good doctor and an even better husband. She’ll need you so take a breath, and do what you do best, okay?”

Eren nodded. It was kinda like getting talked to by his mother but it worked well enough. “Thanks.”

Petra patted him on the arm. “I’ll go get a room ready for her so we can see what’s going on.”

Eren was about to thank her again as she was walking away but the sound of his own mother calling his name had his head snapping over towards the elevators. His mom and dad were walking beside a nurse who was pushing Mikasa down the hall. Eren breathed a sigh of relief at the sight. She didn’t look too upset; her hands were on her swollen stomach, her eyes looking up at him. Eren gestured for the nurse to stop, and dropped to a knee in front of Mikasa, one hand on her stomach and the other he reached for her face.

“You having contractions?” he asked, trying to keep his voice as even as he could.

“Yeah, for a little bit now,” she said.

“We tried to wait as long as we could,” Grisha said from one side of Mikasa. “We thought they were false at first but when they reached about six minutes apart consistently we decided to bring her in.”

“No, that was smart of you,” Eren said looking back to Mikasa.

She gasped suddenly, her body tensing as she hunched over a bit towards her stomach. Eren reached for her hand, his heart clenching. He always knew this day would come, but he never liked seeing Mikasa in pain even if it was for their children.

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Carla leaned over, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Everything is gonna be okay.”

“It’s too early,” Mikasa choked. The tension left her body some but her eyes were worried when she looked back to Eren. “This shouldn’t be happening yet.”

Eren felt his parent’s eyes on him; they’d never say it in front of Mikasa, but they were worried too. Hell, Eren couldn’t help but be worried. The last thing in this world he would want is something to happen to his slowly growing family. It terrified him beyond belief but Petra was right. He could be a good doctor and do what was required of him, but seeing his wife distressed, he knew there was much more he needed to do.

He reached up to take her face in his hands and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Everything is gonna be okay, Mik. Sometimes this happens for a variety of reasons but me, the nurses, the other doctors who’ll be here in the morning are all trained on how to handle a premature birth and babies should that happen but we don’t even know what’s going on yet.”

Mikasa nodded, and seemed to relax a little bit. He stood up and moved to take the handles of her wheelchair to bring her to whichever room Petra was preparing. His parents followed behind, obviously wanting to be there for the both of them even if technically Eren was working. Was there some kinda moral rule about not treating your spouse? He really wasn’t sure but he also didn’t really care. He’d take care of her until one of the morning shift doctors came in and then he could shed his white jacket and just be a himself taking care of Mikasa.

The thought was still terrifying but now that Mikasa was here, it was also a thrilling. He might get to see his babies soon, his son and daughter.

“Eren?” Mikasa’s voice was still a little choked but she did seem to calm down.

“Yes?”

“We still didn’t pick out any names.”

“That’s okay, there’s still time for that in the room. At least you made me finish the nursery even though I kept telling you we had time. Obviously, you knew best, not that it surprises me.” Eren stopped in front of a door that Petra was still working on but she saw them and gestured for Eren to bring her in.

He leaned down so his head was close to hers. “We’ll get you set up and then why don’t you tell me what names you had in mind while I try and see what’s going on. Sound good?”

Mikasa nodded as Eren helped her to her feet to get to the bed.

Carla opened her mouth like she was gonna say something but Eren held up his hand first. “That’s with minimal input from Nana to begin with, you hear me, Ma?”

Mikasa laughed a little as Eren and Petra helped her get up on the bed. Carla seemed to think a laugh from Mikasa was worth it. “Fine,” she said holding her hands up. “I’m keeping to your ‘to begin with’ though.”

“That’s fine,” Eren said, brushing his hand over Mikasa’s stomach to grab a hold of her hand. “Everything is gonna be fine.”

When she gave him a smile back, Eren believed it that time.


	28. Lake House

_**Anonymous:**  Setting - Cabin next to the pond. Interior - Said cabin's porch (which faces the pond). Prompt - Eren jokes about pushing Mikasa in, which ends in her pushing him in, but them drying off and cuddling next to the fire on the inside_

* * *

 

“Ma!” Eren called into the cabin as he dropped his bags inside the front door. “Dad?” The cabin was decently sized but Eren couldn’t see any sign of his parents actually being here even though he knew they were, somewhere at least.

“Their car is gone,” Mikasa said, dumping her bags next to his. “What made you think they’d be in the cabin?”

Eren shrugged as he turned to look at her, pushing his sunglasses up on the top of his head. “I dunno, maybe one of them went to town and the other stayed back to wait for us? It’s not like they didn’t know we were coming.”

Mikasa didn’t look too particularly concerned. “C’mon,” she said, grabbing a hold of his hand. “Let’s go see the lake then.”

Even if Eren wanted a choice in the matter she was already dragging him through the old cabin, and out the back door to the path that led down to the lake they went swimming in since before they even knew how to walk. It was as beautiful as ever; the mountains in the distance reflecting down on the rippling water, the forest of trees that surrounded the cabin and the lake already changing their colors from green to reds, oranges, and browns. The sun was still high above them but the air was already getting that autumn chill.

“Well, would you look at that,” Eren said when Mikasa finally came to a stop on the dock that led out into the water, his dad’s boat already tied up and ready to be used. “It hasn’t changed at all since we were here a few months ago.”

Mikasa hit him in the shoulder with her hand. It probably would’ve hurt if she wanted to make it hurt. “That’s not the point, it’s just like coming out here always feels like coming home, you know?”

Of course he understood; his parents owned this cabin since before he was even born. Ever since then he spent summers, a little bit in the fall, and even every other Christmas up here. Eren never asked his parents how much this place cost them but he figured quite a lot if they came up here so often. He couldn’t even remember a time Mikasa didn’t come up here with them. His father was good friends with the Ackermans and them and Mikasa were always invited to come up; something Mikasa took advantage of. Eren thought sometimes she loved this place more than his own parents did.

“When’s Armin coming up?” Mikasa asked leaning slightly against Eren as her eyes watched over the still lake.

“He’s coming up for the weekend. He couldn’t get the whole week off from work.”

Armin was also always welcome to come with them, which he normally did; sometimes with his grandpa and sometimes without. These days the three of them could come up alone if they wanted to, and they did on occasion but it was always a little better when Eren’s mom was there to cook up the fish anyone caught. Sometimes Eren just took Mikasa up, knowing how much she enjoyed the peace and quiet away from the world.

“Ah, look!” Mikasa pointed off into the woods towards the side of lake.

“Oh yes, deer, animals rare to this area as you can tell from the dents on my car.”

Mikasa shoved him as he started to laugh. “Shut up, we don’t get it a lot in the city, okay. This is nice.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back into him, his chin resting on his shoulder. “I know.” He pressed a kiss to the side of her neck, her hands moving to rest over his. “Looks like my dad pulled out the kayaks over there.”  There were the two long, thin boats sitting on an area of sand that was mostly hidden by flowers and shrubbery. It was the easiest place to get into them and push off since Carla never liked them to trample over her gardens to get to the lake.

Mikasa hummed in response. “That’s where you kissed me for the first time, remember? Trying to get into the kayaks one day while Armin was taking a nap inside and your parents were cooking dinner.”

“Of course, I remember.”

She almost doubled over she started laughing so hard.

Eren squeezed her stomach with his arms making her lean back against him again. “I swear to God, Mik, I’m gonna push you in the lake.”

“Oh my God, it was so awkward.”

“Now I’m really gonna push you in the lake,” he said, even though he very well knew she was right. “We were twelve years old what did you expect it to be?”

She was still laughing so hard he could hear her gasping trying to breathe.

“It wasn’t  _that_ bad.”

“No, you’re right,” she breathed, reaching up to wipe some tears from her eyes. “I don’t think it tops the second time you tired.”

“Seriously? That one was so much better.” Eren pinched her stomach making her laugh again. “We were what, fifteen that time? At least I got some experience in there.”

“The actual kiss was fine, but you backed me up against a tree that had poison ivy on only one side. Then we had to explain to your mom why we had mirroring poison ivy rashes on one leg.”

“You wanna keep bringing these stories up? Go ahead.” He shoved her a bit towards the edge of the dock but pulled her back before she could actually fall.

“Stop it.” She turned around to hit him in the chest, his hands dropping to her waist. “They’re cute stories we’ll cherish for a lifetime. I’ll be able to make our kids feel better when they have bad first kisses.”

“Oh?” Eren arched an eyebrow. “Then how come you haven’t brought the first time you kissed me.”

“Don’t you dare.”

“Do you not remember? Cause I sure do.”

“Eren,” she whined, hitting her hands lightly against his chest. “That’s not fair.”

“Oh, it’s plenty fair.” He laughed, taking a step back when she pushed him a little for that. “We were here weren’t we?”

“Yeah, like you would forget.”

“Yes, I do believe it was here. Inside the cabin this time, cause we were watching movies late at night and everyone was already passed out but me and you.”

She pushed him again only making him laugh.

“God, Mik, you came at me so fast I had no idea what was going on until our faces collided. I’m pretty sure I had a bruise on my forehead and cheek for months after that.”

“Care to remind me what you’d say when people asked?”

Eren could feel the edge of the dock under his feet. He very well knew what would happen if he did answer her question. A grin pulled at his lips. It would be so worth it though. “I’d say, ‘That’s what happens when Mikasa Ackerman has a crush on you’.”

It only took one well timed push on her part for him to him lose his balance and fall backwards into the water. The incredibly cold water. It hit him hard the moment his back broke the surface, taking the breath out of his lungs and causing him to cough and choke his way back up to breathe. He brushed his soaking wet bangs out of his face to look up at Mikasa smiling smugly from the dock.

“Real mature,” he shouted up to her but he was laughing.

She didn’t say anything but she did jump off the dock herself, her splash causing ripples and water to hit him again. She popped her head up in front of him, flipping her hair out of her face. “You started it.”

“That is the farthest thing from the truth.”

She panted a bit, trying to catch her breath from the jump but even if Eren was legitimately upset, which he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have cared anymore when she tilted her head in to kiss him. She tasted like the lake water and a bit of coffee from their drive up but he loved it, he always did; even those awful kisses they shared in their past.

Eren wrapped on arm around her and slipped the other one under her knees, pulling her up to his chest which was pretty easy under water. “I don’t feel like getting a cold on the first day of vacation, alright?” he murmured pressing another kiss to her lips.

“Carla is gonna kill us if we get her floors wet,” Mikasa said while Eren struggled to find his footing on the lake floor, well when he could even find the lake floor.

“You should’ve thought about that before you pushed me in,” he snorted.

Mikasa leaned her head against his as he hoisted her up and out of the water, making the slow walk back to shore. “Okay, it’s freezing out here now.”

“I’m pretty sure I have a fish in my sneaker, but that’s still more comfortable than the time you dropped a frog down the back of my shorts.”

She snorted with laughter. “Carla was laughing so hard she couldn’t even bring herself to be mad at me.”

Eren rolled his eyes as he stepped back up onto the deck, carrying Mikasa up back onto the path to the cabin. His whole life was memories with Mikasa and while that made some people iffy when they did start a relationship, it just made Eren love all those moments he had with her even more. She was already his best friend, how could it get better than that?

He kicked open the door with his foot and stepped back into the cabin which wasn’t much warmer than outside at the moment. He kicked off his soaking wet shoes and placed Mikasa down on her feet. “Get your wet clothes off and I’ll bring you some dry ones.”

She nodded and slipped off her boots before hurrying to the laundry room nearby.

He pulled off his socks and dumped them on his shoes, taking large steps and avoiding the hard wood floors as best he could to get to his bags. His drenched shirt, jacket and jeans were dumped on the front mat as he pulled on some sweats. He grabbed his wet clothes, a shirt from his bag and some cotton shorts from the top of her bag before walking back over to the laundry room.

Eren tossed his wet clothes in a pile behind Mikasa who was still trying to peel her wet jeans off her legs. He resisted a laugh, knowing it probably wouldn’t end up so well for him and passed her the dry clothes. “Just come out when you’re ready.”

“Okay,” she said, and he closed the door behind him just in case his parents were to walk in the door.

He took a moment to look around the familiar living room and kitchen. It hadn’t changed too much over the years, just updated appliances really. There was a TV they used for movies occasionally but the highlight of the living room was the large fireplace with pictures and little trinkets on the mantle.

Eren opened the gate in front of the fireplace before he grabbed some wood off the small rack next to it. His dad must’ve brought it up with them yesterday which was fine with Eren; between the cold air outside and the even colder lake he was ready to warm up next to a fire. He set up the wood, the kindling, and lit up the lighter like he had always done, the wood giving off the familiar crackling and the smell of burning wood starting to fill his nose.

He looked at the laundry room door that was still closed. Clearly, she wasn’t having as easy of a time. “You need help, Mikasa?”

“Any help that you’d give me would only keep us in here longer,” she called back.

He snorted, but didn’t bother denying it. Was it his fault Mikasa was irresistible? No, he didn’t think so. Eren poked at the fire a bit before he was satisfied with the way it was growing and stood up to stretch his arms over his head. The fireplace was nice, but being back up here in the colder weather made him remember how many times they did curl up in front of the fire to keep warm on the long winter or fall nights. It was never complete without a fort of pillows and blankets, and, of course, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin’s limbs all tangled together as they fell asleep.

Eren walked over to the nearby closet and pulled out all the thick blankets he could grab from the top shelf and dumped them on the floor in front of the flickering fire. He took a few pillows off the couch and tossed them down there as well. He walked into the kitchen to see if his dad brought any food up with them or if they were actually grocery shopping at that moment. Judging by the way there was only canned food and some chocolate that looked like it was from last summer, Eren was guessing it was the latter.

He turned back to the living room, with every intention of dragging Mikasa out of the laundry room himself, but he found he didn’t have to. Her body was already snug under the blankets, wet hair sprawled out on a pillow and her dark eyes watching him. The food could wait. He made his way back to the living room and flopped down in between the blankets, Mikasa instantly losing her grip on the blanket in favor of curling up into him. She always got cold, and sometimes wore sweaters in the summer, but she seemed to find his normal body temperature warm enough for her. Eren rolled over on his side, wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling his face into her wet hair.

“Eren,” she laughed pretending like she was gonna push him away but she easily fell back against him, head pressed up against his chest and arms around him.

Between the cracking fire warming off his chill, and Mikasa’s steady breathing and heartbeat next to him Eren thought he was gonna fall asleep on the floor already. Some days he couldn’t believe this was real, that the girl who was always by his side from the very beginning loved him too. That if he wanted to fall asleep by the fireplace next to her, he could at any given moment and wouldn’t have to make a big deal about trying to do so like when he realized had a crush on her.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead and Mikasa made some kinda content noise, curling up closer to him.

The front door opened but Eren couldn’t actually be bothered to move, he barely bothered to open his eyes.

“Well, nice to see you two already made yourselves at home,” Grisha said from behind a few bags of groceries.

“It’s a long drive, Dad,” Eren said like that obviously explained it all.

“Do you think we got enough bags of pasta?” Carla was saying but Eren couldn’t actually see his mom yet. “Those boys could probably eat a pot a piece and still be hungry.”

“Nice to see you too, Ma,” Eren said though he could feel Mikasa laughing against him.

“Oh, I should’ve known you were here judging by all the stuff left in the middle of the doorway,” Carla said walking into the living room, holding a few bags herself. She was smiling though, her telltale she wasn’t actually mad face.

“Are you kids hungry?” Grisha asked, putting away some stuff in the fridge.

“Before you answer that,” Carla said, her hands on her hips as she peered into the laundry room. “Care to tell me why there’s a bunch of soaking wet clothes in here?”

Mikasa looked up to Eren who was already looking down at her. With a grin pulling at his lips, he said “Mikasa started it” at the same time that she said, “Eren started it.”


	29. Prohibition Era

_**Anonymous:**  Could you do an eremika Prohibition era fic, with mikasa as a local bar-singer and eren as part of the mafia or something of the sort? love your work!_

* * *

 

It was a cold night. Eren supposed he shouldn’t be too surprised, winter was gonna hit the city sooner rather than later. He pulled his coat tighter around him and reached a hand up to push his hat a bit further down on his head so it wouldn’t fly off when a chill breeze blew through the streets. There didn’t seem to be too many people wandering through the city tonight which didn’t bother Eren all too much. It wasn’t exactly the part of the city that had the best reputation either; people were too afraid to get caught in-between turf wars, too afraid of the gangsters who ruled the city. The name on everyone’s lips most recently was the Ackerman family.  

Eren turned toward a building snuggled between dark buildings, long closed for the night. The name didn’t bother him. They were just some family trying to get their glory but it wasn’t gonna happen, not with how the Boss ran things.

The man standing at the door nodded when Eren looked his way, and opened the door, letting smoke and music out into the street. The room was dim, light music being played from the small band on the stage, people all around him murmuring, laughing, drinking. Eren slipped off his coat and hung it on the rack, draping his hat over the hook before taking a seat at the bar. Technically it wasn’t a bar since there was no alcohol, well, that you could see at least. Eren knew Reiner better than that though.

“Hey, Jaeger,” the bulky blond man smiled when he saw Eren lean over the counter.

“Hey, Reiner, how’s business tonight?”

“As good as always,” he said, drying out a few mugs to hang back up on the rack overhead.  “The usual?”

“You got it.” Eren pulled out a cigarette from his jacket pocket and lit it up with a quick flick of his lighter, the smoke floating up to mix with the rest of the smoke in the room. While Reiner disappeared into the back room, Eren took a long drag turning to look at the room, seeing most all the same faces he saw every time he was here.

He was about to go look for the familiar face he was supposed to be meeting but some movement on the stage got his attention. A smile pulled at his lips when he saw that gorgeous woman place her hands on the long, silver microphone, her dark eyes looking over the room while she waited for her cue to start in the music the band was playing.

When she started to sing her voice was low and sultry but still smooth as silk. Her dark hair waved down her back, and her long dress shimmering in the dim light, the pale skin of her leg peeking through a slit. She was still the prettiest girl Eren ever saw.

“Stop staring, you perv.”

Eren glanced over to see Jean sitting on the next barstool over, his back and elbows leaning back against the bar as he faced the room. “You’re just jealous.”

Jean grunted and looked to Eren. “We got problems.”

Eren took a puff of his cigarette. “Those aren’t the words I like to hear.”

“Yeah, like I like saying them.”

“Here you go, gentlemen,” Reiner said, sliding two glasses on the bar for them.

“What’s the deal then?” Eren asked, putting his cigarette out in the nearby ash tray in favor of his drink.

“The Ackermans are getting outta control. They took a whole district from us today.”

Eren nearly dropped his glass. “How the hell did they do that?”

Jean shrugged. “They have tactics that I ain’t ever seen before. I already talked to Armin to see if he could predict their next moves, figure out maybe how they operate. I figure if anyone can he can.”

Eren wasn’t gonna disagree with that.

“They move quickly and quietly, they don’t make a show outta anything. Everything is done by stealth and working from the inside out.” Jean shook his head. “We gotta figure out something or they’re gonna get everything we have.”

“That’s not gonna happen. The boss worked plenty hard to get where he has, he’s not gonna let some rival family take over without a fight. He’ll get to know the enemy, their weakness, their strengths and work from there. He won’t be walked over by some upstarts.”

“It would help if we had someone on the inside.” Jean drank down his glass in one shot.

“I’ll talk to Armin when I see him tonight. Maybe he can figure out how to get someone inside.” Eren was gonna go for his drink again but he noticed the singing stopped. He nearly scrambled to get off his stool. “Hey, I’ll be right back.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jean rolled his eyes. “We’ll see if your drink’s still here when you get back.”

Eren really didn’t care too much as he maneuvered through a few people. He slipped in the backdoor knowing Reiner never cared until Eren came to an open door, her dressing room. He leaned up against the doorway as Mikky had her back to him, changing some of her jewelry in the mirror.

“How many times do I have to tell you, Eren Jaeger?” She turned around to face him, fixing a sparkling necklace that was dipping into her chest and a small slip on her ruby red lips. “I don’t date gangsters.”

He almost couldn’t hide his grin. “And why are you so sure I’m a gangster?”

Mikky walked over to him, hips swaying, and her dress shining under the lights of the room. “It’s in your jaw,” she said as she reached up to trail her fingers over his face. “Your eyes.”

Eren grabbed her hand in his, lacing his fingers through hers when she let him. “Then tell me, Mikky, how do we always find ourselves here?”

She laughed lightly and it was as pretty as when she sang. “I’m a sucker for punishment I guess.”

That was good enough for him. He leaned in until his lips were pressed to hers. It was always all it took for her to melt into him, arms reaching up around his neck and his hands sliding down her backless dress to her lower back.

Mikky had been singing here for years and years and Eren figured he’d been in love with her for just as long. She was beautiful but not someone to be trifled with as Eren learned the first few times he tried to smooth talk her (he was pretty sure he had her handprint on his face for days). So this was their routine for now, and it was better than before but Eren swore he’d wear down her excuses one of these days.

“I have to get changed for the next set,” she murmured against his lips, eyes half lidded as she looked at him.

“They can wait.” He went to kiss her again but she was already gone, walking back across the room to grab a different dress. He missed her presence in his arms already.

“Why don’t you come see me after I’m off we can see about that.” She gave a flash of a smile that made him melt before she disappeared behind her changing screen.

Eren leaned up against the doorway again. “Hey, when’re you gonna tell me your real name?”

Her head popped out from behind the screen. “Mikky is my real name.” That was probably true but the way she was smiling at him was like she was in on some little secret he didn’t know.

“I don’t doubt it. I mean your full name. You know mine after all. Don’t you think it’s fair?”

She stepped out from the screen and once again took Eren’s breath away. She hummed a bit in thought as she walked back over to him. He put his hands back on her waist when she pressed her hands to his chest.

“We have known each other for a long time haven’t we.” She laid her head against his shoulder causing Eren to rest his head over hers.

“Yeah, we have.”

“It’s Mikasa, Mikasa Ackerman.”

Eren felt like someone punched him in the gut. He tried desperately to keep a straight face, to keep his body normal as he held her. He loved her, he never questioned it. What scared him wasn’t that she shared the last name of the family he was fighting it was that he didn’t want to push her away and run like he knew he should.

He was in deep shit.


	30. Online

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I only really did my full requests for these, not any memes but I always really liked this one so it got added :3 Jason came up with the usernames as well!

_**letsemmajesticuniverse** **:**  Eremika 9 or 39? (If you're still doing these?)_

_**9.meeting online au** _

* * *

 

It had been another typical day at school; mind numbing class after class, loud and obnoxious classmates who did nothing but give her a headache, and more homework than she had time in the day. Needless to say, Mikasa just wanted to collapse on her bed for the rest of the day, but the books she pulled from her bag and onto her desk loomed at her no matter where she went in the room. With a sigh she turned her laptop on before pulling out much more comfortable clothing.

“Dinner will be ready in an hour, Mikasa, okay!” her mom’s voice called up the stairs.

“Okay!” she said back, pulling a sweater over her head that hung right above her pj pants and sitting down in front of her computer.

Physics, British Lit, Calculus, History…she looked down her stack of books trying to pick her first poison as she typed in her email to bring that up first. “Might as get this stuff outta the way,” Mikasa mumbled to herself, pulling her history textbook out, a worksheet sticking out of the chapter she needed to read.

A ding from her computer caught her attention before she could start though. She scrolled through her email, most where ads or coupons from various stores she was too guilty to say no when they asked for an email, but two emails stuck out:  _killemall sent you a message!_ And  _killemall started following you!_

She had to blink at it a few times; it wasn’t a username she recognized and no one really outside from her friends and well spam ever messaged her. She clicked on the email, bringing it up in a separate box. It gave the time stamp and date of the message sent and some happy little saying but Mikasa’s eyes looked down to the actual text because for once it wasn’t a spam message.

_Hey, this is probably weird I know but you’re probably one of the first people to follow my blog that I didn’t already know and I just wanted to say thanks for that. I liked yours a lot so I’ll see you around I’m sure._

Mikasa clicked on the username bringing her to a blog that was suddenly very familiar. She came across it on a tag; she couldn’t remember which now and got great amusement out of his blunt and humorous outlook on life; Eren, his blog said his name was. There was a lot of passion behind his words and she liked that. She bit back a smile as she clicked into his askbox.

_It’s pretty similar for me too actually :) So thanks for the follow back. I look forward to seeing more of your posts!_

She clicked send and looked back to her homework with a groan. Might as well get back to that.

* * *

“C’mon, Eren, I’m starving, let’s go.” Armin was standing behind Eren’s desk chair, shaking his shoulders.

“Okay, okay.” Eren reached behind him to push him away. “Just give me a sec and we can go get food.”

Armin collapsed on Eren’s bed rather dramatically. “You’ve been on the computer all day. It’s Saturday, let’s do something while we still can.”

“I heard you the first time.” Eren tossed a nearby pillow from the floor at his friend before turning back to his computer. “Let me just check something and we can go.” He scrolled down the page, checking out the newest posts. It was the same old, same old really; his friends posting stupid things, the few interest blogs he followed posting relevant things, but one post stuck out. It was Mikasa, at least that was what her page said her name was; who normally posted bright pictures and photography always filling his feed with positivity or her school to do list never the simple box with just a  _read more_  blocking out what words were there. He clicked on it, bringing him to her lightly colored blog.

_Please stop sending me messages. I don’t care if he’s on the football team, I don’t care if he’s a good guy, I don’t care if you thought I should have said yes. I didn’t and that’s the end of it. Stop bringing it up, stop trying to get me to change my mind, stop insulting my intelligence. Please, just leave me and my choices alone._

Eren felt a sharp surge of annoyance at a bunch of people he didn’t know. Sure, he never really talked to her, but she always seemed like a nice girl on her posts and brief messages they had shared, and no one deserved to be harassed over anything, especially over a guy. He clicked on the button that brought a text box up before starting to type.

_Who do those people think they are? It was your choice to make. Do I need to go out there and slap a few heads together?_

He hit enter and went back to his main page.

“Who are you talking to?” Armin’s sudden voice in his ear nearly gave Eren a heart attack.

“No one.” He turned around to see Armin leaning over his shoulder.

“No one? You just typed out a response to a post which was no one?”

“Just someone I know on here. She seemed like she was having a bad day,” Eren shrugged turning back to his computer.

Armin made some knowing noise. “ _She_  was having a bad say was she?”

Eren reached up to push Armin’s face away from his own. “Go see if my mom and dad want us to bring them home food.”

Armin let out a laugh, but he walked out of the room without another word. Eren rolled his eyes before looking back to his screen noticing the top post right away.

_killemall replied to post: Please stop sending me messages…_

_Who do those people think they are? It was your choice to make. Do I need to go out there and slap a few heads together?_

_Hahaha, I appreciate it ^^ but I found it’s better to just ignore them. Maybe then they’ll get over it by Monday and stop bothering me. Thanks for saying something though, made me feel better :)_

She seemed to be a tough thing, at least she was acting like it. He couldn’t imagine having his friends bothering him like that, granted, Eren probably would have punched them if they did so that’s probably why. He brought up the text box again.

_Np just seems like such a shitty thing to have to deal with on the weekend._ He paused for a moment, fingers lightly tapping on the keyboard. They had been mutuals for a little while now even if they didn’t talk all the time, so maybe it was okay. She could always disregard it if she didn’t want it.  _My Skype name is the same as my name here if you ever want someone outside to talk to._ He hit enter and leaned back in his chair.

“Did you just do the internet equivalent of giving her your number?”

Eren slammed his laptop shut a little too hard in surprise. “Go on,” he said standing up from his chair to shove Armin towards the door. “We’re getting food  _now_.”

* * *

Mikasa ‘s heart nearly stopped when  _killemall has signed on_ popped up in the corner of her screen. It had been a few days ago since she added him to her contact list and about a day later he started showing up as on and off telling Mikasa he had accepted her request. She just hadn’t gotten the courage to actually talk to him yet.

She knew it was stupid; he was just some guy on the internet who she would never even meet but still, she felt like she kinda knew him from his blog, knew what he liked, knew how he talked. Regardless, she needed to just send him a message if she wanted to talk to him, and she did, more than she probably wanted to admit.

She clicked on his name, bringing up a conversation box. What if he was busy or didn’t want to be bothered? What if he was just being nice and didn’t actually mean for her to talk to her? What if he was a 60 year old man who was only nice cause she seemed like a naive little girl? Mikasa shook her head; this was why she had the same friends since she was in kindergarten.

_spokensoftly: Hi! This is Mikasa which I’m sure you already assumed. I just happened to see you were on and thought I’d see how you were doing ^^_

There, that was normal. Right? She cringed but hit enter before she could back out. Mikasa minimized the box and tried to go back to homework but now her heart was racing. She couldn’t keep her eyes off the box, waiting for it to flash orange. When it did, she wasn’t sure if she was going to be sick from excitement or dread. She took a breath and clicked onto the box.

_killemall: Hey! Yeah, I knew it was you haha I’m good well as good as someone can be trying to do homework_

_spokensoftly: Are you in school too?_

_killemall: High school yeah. You?_

_spokensoftly: The same, senior year’s a joy._

_killemall: I can sense the sarcasm from here. I take school is a magical experience for you too_

Mikasa let out a small laugh as she went to type a response, and just like that, it was like talking to someone she had known her whole life.

* * *

_spokensoftly: Eren, please, I have to ask. What is up with your username? Are you trying to get the FBI called on you?_

Eren snorted when he looked down at his phone; he never cared about having Skype on his phone before but it sure helped now when he was dragged out into the open air by his friends.

_killemall: Oh God, it’s actually embarrassing and not menacing at all_

_spokensoftly: Tell me :P_

_killemall: You know what, maybe I like to remain mysterious_

_spokensoftly: I know what you used to call your dog when you were 5 years old. You’re not mysterious I’m sorry_

_killemall: That wasn’t fair  you wouldn’t not let me answer it_

_spokensoftly: YOU made the rules, you can’t use that against me_

“Eren, I swear to God if I try to get your attention one more time tonight, you’re walking home.”

Eren snapped up from his phone looking up to Connie and Armin from across the booth. Connie was rolling his eyes while Armin was trying not to laugh. “What?” he asked.

“Dude, seriously? What is up with you?” Connie asked.

Eren opened his mouth to say nothing but Armin beat him to it. “He’s talking to his internet girl he met a few months ago who he now apparently can’t even leave the house without talking to.”

“You met a girl online?” Connie arched an eyebrow. “How do you even now it is a girl?”

“C’mon, really? I’ve heard her voice, we’ve talked over Skype,” Eren said, trying to resist kicking the both of them when they gave him another look. “I don’t just mean typing. We call each over Skype on the weekends.”

“He still doesn’t know what she looks like though.” Armin said with a smile, telling Eren he was teasing more so than disapproving.

“Are you serious?” Connie exclaimed. “How can you know she is who she says she is if you’ve never seen a picture? Just ask for one.”

Eren rolled his eyes. “Yes, because me asking for a picture isn’t creepy. Just relax, I trust her.”

Connie still wasn’t buying it. “But how?”

“I just do.”

* * *

“Are you ready?” Eren’s voice buzzed into her ear from her headset.

“No,” was her immediate response, wishing she could just pull her blanket over her head. Her computer was sitting on her lap as she sat up in bed, her fingers fidgeting with each other.

“You want me to go first don’t you.”

“Yes,” she said, trying not to laugh at his tone.

“Alright, alright. I will warn you now, people sometimes mistake me for a middle aged man. I think it might be my receding hairline but I’m not sure.”

“Eren.” She was laughing now.

In an instant the once black screen on her computer turned bright as she saw a boy with bright blue eyes staring back at her. She was so glad she made him go first because he couldn’t see her and she was embarrassed at the way she was staring. He looked to be around her age like he had said he was, messy brown hair, tanned skin, a hesitant smile. He was sitting in his desk chair, a faded t-shirt on, and his own headset on his head.  _This_ was who she was talking to for all these months?

“Do you want me to do a full turn around or something?”

“Yeah, maybe then I could see the bald spot better.”

He laughed and Mikasa thought she might pass out. “C’mon, ‘Kasa, it’s your turn. It’s only fair.”

Now she really didn’t want to turn on her camera, but a deal was a deal. She clicked the button, and could see her own face down in the corner. “Can you tell Connie to stop calling me a man now?”

Eren didn’t say anything though she could tell his eyes were still on her; it was only causing her face to heat up as opposed to making her feel at ease. He cleared his throat, a smile pulling at his lips. “Oh yeah, I’ll rub it right in his face, multiple times a day.”

* * *

 

Eren had no idea what he was doing, but he was still walking out of the terminal and into the baggage claim area. He couldn’t actually believe both their parents were okay with that but both him and Mikasa were eighteen and recent high school graduates so they somehow managed to make it into a graduation present. Eren expected his dad to have to book him a hotel room but Mikasa’s parents were okay to have him stay with them, probably to keep an eye on him but still.

He adjusted his backpack on his back, with the laptop that started it all in his messenger bag by his side. He was trying to keep his heart from racing at finally actually seeing the girl he had been falling for over all these months, but it wasn’t working.

Eren saw here before she saw him; Mikasa was looking around, trying to pick him out of the crowd. She was just as gorgeous as she was over Skype and when her dark eyes finally met his, Eren couldn’t hold back a smile. She started towards him, slow at first but she picked up a little speed until she threw herself in his arms, and he gladly caught her. She was a little shorter than him, her head fitting right against his neck, and her arms tight around him. He had to take in a deep breath to remind himself this was real; this was finally her warm body holding onto his.

She pulled away some, her smile lighting up her face. “Hi,” she said.

“Hi.”

He never regretted sending that first message. 


	31. Men's Room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for Sexual Situations and Language.

_**Anonymous:**  LYSSAA PLEASE IM IN PAIN AND I NEED EREMIKA SMUT IT CAN BE JUST A LITTLE SILLY THING BUT PLEASE GIVE ME SMUT _

* * *

 

So in the stall of the second floors men’s bathroom probably wasn’t their brightest idea but it was the best way Mikasa knew how to skip class. Eren had her back pressed up against the stall door, his hands grasping onto her while her legs remained firmly around his waist. His lips were on her neck and she was practically withering under his touch. Her school uniform issued cardigan had been pushed wide open, quite a few buttons on her white shirt undone and her bra sticking out.

He was killing her.

“Eren, please,” she moaned, rolling her hips into his and feeling his hard erection throb through his thin pants. He only grinned into her skin. 

It’s not like they had a whole lot of time for him to be kissing her, running his hands up under her shirt, grabbing onto her breasts, fingers grazing over her bare leg from where her knee highs ended all the way up under her pleated skirt though said skirt was currently bunched up around her hips. Not that she didn’t mind her boyfriend’s love and attention to her body but just because they were in the scarcely used bathroom didn’t mean someone couldn’t come in. It was pretty obvious what they were doing if someone did and she was pretty sure not many people in their private school would approve. 

Mikasa reached her hand down from its spot grasping onto his shoulder, to running over the material of his polo til her fingers ran over his arousal through his pants. That got a moan out of him and Mikasa had to grin. Though her grin quickly turned into a moan itself when he ran his fingers over the material of her panties.

“Eren,” she groaned again, her hand tightening around him, grasping onto him as best she could.

It seemed to work at least. Eren removed one of his hands from her ass and moved to pop the button and work on the zipper of his pants. Mikasa helped him shimmy his pants a bit so he had a little more room before he slid himself into her. 

Mikasa didn’t even try to keep the moan to herself that time. Eren buried his head into her neck, hands back to holding her ass as he started to move against her. Mikasa tangled her fingers in his hair, groans falling from her lips every time he moved in her. It was probably much easier to get away with having sex at his house than it was at school but sometimes they just didn’t wanna wait for the whole school day to go by. Especially when he looked so good in that fucking school uniform they had to wear.

“Fuck,” he groaned against her skin, lips quickly moving up to meet hers. 

She held his face close to hers as she kissed him, rolling her hips into his as he moved rhythmically against her. She wasn’t sure if it was because of how public they were being, or how much he was teasing her all day winding her right up or just because it was just Eren but she quickly found her body tensing up, heat pooling in the pit of her stomach leading to hers grinding into his every chance she got as her orgasm rolled through her body. With a telltale cry of her name on his lips and the way his hips were moving frantically against her, Mikasa felt Eren have his own release.

She kissed him with a content sigh against his lips and she felt him smile against her. His arms wrapped around her back, keeping her close to him. They hadn’t got caught yet, but even if they did it would still be so worth it. Every moment with him was, even in the men’s bathroom. With one last kiss, Eren let Mikasa jump to the floor so they could fix their uniforms and probably Eren’s hair. She might’ve got a little out of control there. Mikasa giggled and reached up to fix it, which only made him lean down to kiss her again.

But now came the hard part: both of them leaving the bathroom with no one noticing. 


	32. Miss Saigon

_**Anonymous:**  if you're taking prompts how bout the "we absolutely hate each other but we’re the romantic leads so i guess we have to make this work" theater au for eremika, ah? :D thanks!_

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Mikasa dreamed of playing the lead in the school musical since she was a freshman. It might’ve seemed silly but she planned to go to school for something that wasn’t theatre at all so this was her only chance to live out that dream. All she wanted was to be up on that stage, dressed in a beautiful costume, dancing and singing a duet with the male lead while all lights where on them.

Okay, yeah it was super cheesy but it’s what she dreamed of and when her school announced the spring musical her senior year she knew this was her chance.  _Miss Saigon_! She was bound to be able to land the lead this year. She was a senior and she was Asian (well, half Japanese not Vietnamese but technicalities); it was perfect. Well, she might not get to have a beautiful costume but she would get her duet under the lights with the male lead (and end up with a baby by the second act but again technicalities).

Mikasa nearly passed out when she saw her name on the casting sheet next to Kim’s name. Her friends who were with her had cheered and hugged her but almost as nervously as she did when she looked for her name, she had looked for the name next to Chris’s part as well.

“So, we get to pretend to be in love, isn’t this a wonderful turn of events.”

Mikasa glared over her shoulder to the theatre seat behind her where none other than Eren Jaeger was sitting rather smugly. It was the first day of rehearsal and she already wanted to murder her male lead. Eren Jaeger, it just had to be Eren Jaeger didn’t it. Of all the people who auditioned for the role? Miss Ral just had to give it to him didn’t she?  It just made Mikasa so infuriated that she had to sing this beautiful duet with a guy she hated. Mikasa would’ve even taken Jean as the lead, yeah, he was a little pushy and didn’t know what “No, I really don’t want to go out with you” meant but she didn’t hate him.

“How wonderful,” she deadpanned before looking back to the notebook in her lap. She didn’t even know he auditioned for the play; maybe he had to get something extracurricular in besides talking back to teachers and smoking on school grounds. It’s not like he wasn’t a handsome enough lead but his attitude kinda ruined all of that and he always smelled like cigarettes. Gross.

“Hello cast!” Miss Ral called out over the auditorium. “I’m so happy all of you are with us for this production. It’s going to be so much fun. I’m sure you all are excited to meet your cast mates better so for the first half of practice today you’re gonna section yourselves off with your fellow actors you’ll be interacting with the most so you can start forming some good chemistry.”

No, Miss Ral, no, Mikasa wanted to cry out. While she had scenes with the Dreamland girls and other characters she had a funny feeling she knew who she was gonna get stuck with today.

“Dreamland Girls and the Engineer, Soldiers both US and Vietnamese, Citizens, and while our leads correspond with many different characters for today, Chris and Kim for the first half. You’ll switch to Ellen, Eren, after and Mikasa, you’ll go with the Dreamland girls,” Miss Ral explained. “Tomorrow we’ll do our first read through so go on and make friends!”

The cast started to disperse but Mikasa didn’t move. Why her? Why her? At least Sasha was one of the Dreamland Girls so she had a friend waiting for her for the second half but the first half she had to deal with Eren and his mouth.

She didn’t look up when she felt his slouch down into the seat next to her.

“I dunno how believable this will be.”

“What forcing yourself to pretend to be in love with me?” She kept her eyes staring straight.

Eren snorted. “No, Annie got cast as my wife. I’m pretty sure her first reaction of any suspicions he husband cheated on her she’d beat them into a pulp. Also, Jean is my best friend? Lord, help us all.”

Mikasa finally glanced over at him. “That’s what you’re concerned about?”

“I tried to get Armin to audition but he said he’d probably get cast in the club and not as a solider so he opted to work backstage instead.”

“I didn’t even think you’d audition. Doesn’t seem like your area of expertise.”

“Sure, I may not’ve been in every musical at this school like you have but  _Miss Saigon,_ I love this one.”

He noticed she was in all the other musicals, meaning he probably saw them. Mikasa was pretty sure she nearly fell out of her chair as she turned to face him. “ _You_ love  _Miss Saigon_?”

Eren arched an eyebrow at her. “Well, yeah, it’s a great story and has beautiful music. Plus that helicopter? C’mon, I probably didn’t understand half of what was going on the first time I saw it but I nearly shit myself when that helicopter came outta nowhere.”

“You saw it on…”

“On Broadway, yes.” Eren was still looking at her like she was the crazy one but he…he…he  _did not_ look like the type who went to see Broadway shows on the weekend. “Why my mom thought taking a twelve year old boy to see  _Miss Saigon_ was a good idea but she probably just thought I’d like the helicopter. Besides, I’m pretty sure at that point we had already seen everything else running that we could.”

Mikasa didn’t know what to do but stare at him with her mouth open.

“What?” he asked, crossing his arms against his chest. “Is there something wrong with that?”

“No,” Mikasa said leaning back into her seat. “You just don’t look the type.”

“Oh, so because I don’t wear tight pants, bright tops, and ridiculous hats I can’t like musical theatre?”  

“That’s not what I meant.”

“No, but it’s what you were implying.”

Mikasa huffed and looked away from him again. See, he was infuriating. How did he get to see all those shows? She had only seen one show on Broadway in her whole life when she was in middle school and this guy said he had seen countless ones. How was that fair?

“We’re gonna have to pretend to get along, you know,” she said, glancing over at him again. “We have to act like we’re in love.”

Eren gave her a small smile that she couldn’t quite read. “Who knows, maybe you’ll fall in love with me when it’s all said and done.”

It was that moment Mikasa actually saw how handsome Eren really was. Even his small smile brightened his already bright eyes and mixed with his naturally tanned skin, his messy brown hair, broad shoulders and chest; he was a very good cast for Chris and he was very good looking. That is, if his mouth would stay shut for two seconds.

“Tch,” Mikasa crossed her arms against her chest. “I can guarantee that will never happen.”

He laughed a little and Mikasa wanted to ignore him, she really did but at the same time she couldn’t help but imagine singing with him, just the two of them alone on the stage, that bright look in his eyes, toothy smile on his lips and she swallowed thickly. No, that was ridiculous. Eren was a jerk. She was gonna have a hard time pretending to be in love with him, not  _actually_ falling in love with him. Mikasa looked over at him to prove her point but he had taken to leaning his head into his hand, elbow resting on the theatre seat arm rest as his turquoise eyes watched her.

Mikasa quickly looked away again, stupid her heart already pounding in her chest. Okay, this might be harder than she thought.


	33. Miss Saigon II

_**Anonymous:**  can you make a continuation of the eremika / acting miss saigon au?_

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Mikasa knew she was in very big trouble about half way through the rehearsals. It just wasn’t fair, it really wasn’t. He was always such a jerk in every class she was in with him; even in the hallways he was so arrogant, and so temperamental. There was nothing redeeming about Eren Jaeger at all; well, that was until she was forced to play opposite him and subsequently spend all her free time acting in love with him.  

She started to realize she judged him too fast. Eren was temperamental; he’d constantly get frustrated with himself if he forgot a line or missed a note but he’d also tease the other actors when they did the same thing so they wouldn’t feel bad or embarrassed. He never left the theatre on time, always opting to stay after with Armin to help paint the set or do other odd jobs the needed to be done. He acted arrogant in front of the cast but it was always done in a way to make them laugh, to lighten the mood.

The worst was despite how much Mikasa tried to ignore him whenever they weren’t acting, no matter how many times she brushed him off or snapped at him, he still always gave her that ridiculous smile of his and did what she asked. That no matter how much she tried to push him away the first time they had to do a stage kiss Mikasa was sure everyone was going to see right through her red cheeks and pounding heart.

She was wrong about Eren, and she was regretting ever being in this stupid show. Now she had this ridiculous crush on her stupid costar who’d never want to be with a girl with a stick up her ass like Mikasa. She ruined her chances with him a long time ago when she judged him too quickly; now she could never make up for the way she treated him.

“Close your eyes okay?”

Mikasa resisted rolling her eyes as she tried to get the heat out of her face. “Just come out, Eren, Miss Ral is gonna come looking for us if we don’t get back on stage.”

“I want it to have the full effect, just do it. Please?”

Like she could ever say no these days. “They’re closed.” She did feel a little silly standing in her thin dress in the middle of the costume room, but Miss Ral sent them together to get their first scene costumes for the semi dress rehearsal. How was she supposed to say no to her director?

“Okay, you can look.” Eren’s voice was closer this time and Mikasa realized why when she opened her eyes; he was practically standing in front of her. He was dressed in the appropriate military gear of the time period and Mikasa had to remember how to breathe; as if he wasn’t already gorgeous enough.

“Well, look at you,” Mikasa said giving him a smile. “Fits you nice.” Which might’ve been the lamest thing to say ever.

Eren rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling, those stupid eyes of his bright. “I want to see yours, c’mon, turn around.”

“Stop it,” she groaned, trying to ignore the fluttering in her stomach. “I’m not supposed to be pretty.”

Eren started walking towards her again. “Who told you that? Cause I’m pretty sure Chris falls in love with her for her beauty, both inside and out. I just got lucky to play opposite someone who was already beautiful.”

“You’re funny, Eren.” Mikasa’s breath hitched in her throat. “Can we just go get back to the stage?”

He didn’t stop till he was standing in front of her, his face a little more serious now. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

“Of course not,” she huffed in a slight panic at his close proximity, moving to get around him; he reached out to grab her before she could though. With both his hands holding firmly onto her waist, Mikasa could only find herself staring up at him.

“Why not?”

It wasn’t like he had never been this close to her before, never held her before, but that was all an act. She could throw herself into it and not feel guilty because she was Kim and she was supposed to be in love with Chris; that was okay. This…this was Eren and this was her. “I don’t know,” she shrugged trying to just say anything. Mikasa looked up to his eyes, and that was a huge mistake. “I…I haven’t been very nice to you.”

Eren snorted, but he didn’t move away from her, in fact Mikasa swore he leaned in closer. “Have things changed now?”

Mikasa nodded slowly.

He smiled again, but this time it was a different kind of smile; one she only saw when they were acting on stage. “Good.”

It happened very slowly, so much so that Mikasa watched him lean into her until his lips were pressed her hers. It was familiar in a way, but very different from those times when they were in front of everyone as actors. She reached her hands up to curl around his shoulders, her lips carefully moving with his. Her heart was pounding against her chest but it was easy to ignore when Eren tugged her into him more, her dress riding up a bit against his uniform.

“Eren? Mikasa? Are you guys done getting dressed?” The sound of their innocent director’s voice nearly had Mikasa jump out of her skin, but Eren still held her firm against him, even when he turned his head towards the door that was blocked by costumes.

“Yeah, we’re coming. Mikasa just needed help with her dress.”

“Okay, let’s move it then,” Miss Ral said.

Eren gave Mikasa a wink when he left her go, stepping back away from her.

Mikasa could only bring herself to stare at him. What was she…? What were they…?

“C’mon,” he extended a hand to her with such a carefree but warm smile, it was hard not to smile back.

She took his hand as he laced his fingers with hers. Maybe it was okay to take a page of his book; to not worry about everything all the time, to take things as they come a little bit more. Especially if those things were him kissing her like that again.

That she could get plenty used to off stage.


	34. Movie Stars

_**Anonymous:**  ah um idk if you're still up for request but pls consider eremika (+other pairings, if you wanna) in actor au! thanks in advance~_

* * *

 

“‘Up and coming star Mikasa Ackerman was seen walking around the town with costar Jean Kirstein on one of their breaks off set. Jean plays the main love interest in the movie opposite Mikasa. Could these two be taking their romance on screen to off screen?’”

Mikasa threw the towel she was drying her hands with at Eren who was lounging on the trailer couch. “Stop reading that garbage.”

Eren was practically cackling with laughter as he blocked the towel with the magazine. “C’mon, Mika, you’re on the front page! How cool is that?”

“Front page of a tabloid.”

He ignored her. “So how was that romantic walk with Kirstein? He’s got his arm around you here.”

Mikasa plopped down on top of his legs and looked over at the page Eren was showing her. “Oh, yeah would you look at that romantic gesture of leading me in the right direction because I’m completely lost in this city.”

“What about this one?” Eren pointed at another picture on the page when Jean was leaning over and talking to her intently.”

“Oh yes, here was when he was telling me all about his boyfriend back home. Super romantic, well, for his boyfriend maybe.”

Eren snorted and flipped the page. “How come there’s nothing about the dashingly handsome supporting actor Eren Jaeger who manages to steal the whole movie? Oh wait, that’s because I was in a different magazine under Hollywood’s hottest new stars.”

Mikasa slapped his chest. “Calm the ego will you?”

He gave her that grin that made her feel weak. Needless to say she understood why he was chosen to be in that particular article. On set wasn’t the first time she met Eren though this was the first time they worked together. She met him at a party for a movie she was in previously and as much as Mikasa didn’t want to get a stupid star struck crush it happened anyway. She might’ve screamed a little bit when she found out they’d be playing friends in the movie.

“You know I don’t care about that shit,” he said, reaching for her waist.

Mikasa gave him a look that said otherwise.

He laughed and pulled her down against him, pressing his lips to her forehead. “I’m just proud that my girl was the front page of her very first tabloid.”

“Knock it off,” she tried to hit him in the shoulder but he was already peppering her neck with kisses and making her laugh. They chose to keep this as quiet as they could. So far as far as Mikasa was aware only Jean and Armin, who was Eren’s best friend back in his hometown, knew about their relationship. Maybe some of the crew members who didn’t knock first but the press hadn’t gotten word yet because they all still thought Mikasa and Jean were a thing.

He rested his head against her shoulder as she ran her fingers through his hair, still rolling her eyes from his antics. Mikasa liked Jean, and they got along just fine but even the first day on set it was clear who she had the most chemistry with. The director had to keep telling her and Eren to stop being so flirty; they were childhood friends, he was like her brother. Well, her character might’ve had to feel that way, but Mikasa didn’t. After he kissed behind the set one day, she knew he didn’t either. She was also pretty sure the viewers were gonna come out with a huge love triangle at the end of this movie because of it.

Eren’s phone buzzed in his jeans. He kept one hand around Mikasa and reached the other one down to fish it out. “Hey, man, what’s up?”

She heard Connie talking like rapid fire in the speaker.

“Alright, alright relax. Yes, we’re done filming for the day. Hang on.” He tilted his head away from the phone, his eyes meeting hers. “Connie wants us to come eat with him and Sasha. You wanna go?”

Mikasa nodded. She liked Connie and Sasha; they were comedy actors around the same age as Eren and had been dating for almost as long as they’d been acting. She understood why their movies did so well, even off screen they’d have her stomach hurting from laughing so hard.

“Yeah, we’ll be there. Want me to grab Jean too? Okay, see you there.” Eren pressed Jean’s number on screen of his phone and leaned in to kiss Mikasa. “Ready to go face the paparazzi?”

“Maybe they’ll think you and Jean are dating this time.”

He snorted and untangled himself from her so they could stand up. “Hey, Kirstein, meet us outside the studio gates. Connie said there’s a pizza place Sasha swears by close to here. They wanna have dinner…Okay, see you.”

Mikasa grabbed her purse and sunglasses off the counter she left them on when she came to see Eren a few hours ago. She turned around to see him grabbing his wallet, a box of cigarettes, slipping his sunglasses on his face before gesturing to the trailer door. She stepped outside into the bight afternoon sun as Eren locked up behind him. They started to head to the front of the studio where they’d probably get in trouble for not taking a car but Eren normally liked to walk everywhere which was fine by her.

“How long are they gonna buy that for?” Mikasa asked as she watched Eren light a cigarette next to her.

“Buy what?”

“Your bad boy act. Sooner or later they’re gonna find out you’re really just a big dork.”

“As long as you…” He leaned in to press a quick kiss to her cheek. “Don’t blow my secret identity.”

Mikasa rolled her eyes as she laughed. She bought it too at first; it made him seem so much more intimidating the sort of James Dean why he held himself but she quickly learned that wasn’t the only aspect to his personality. He liked to sit inside and read or play games more often than not, he liked to watch old movies like he did with his mom when he was younger, he didn’t spend his paychecks on frivolous cars or clothes. He sent almost all of it home to his dad to help pay for his mom’s medical bills. He didn’t go out and party all night every night and he liked to be with Mikasa. That was the one that surprised her the most.

“There he is.” Eren took a drag from his cigarette and waved toward the gates where Jean was standing.

Jean flipped him off in return but that was the nature of their relationship Mikasa learned. She was the newbie, she was the one always learning, meeting new people. It was overwhelming sometimes, but she had good friends to help her find the way.

The gates opened without a word from the security guard at their approach.

“No lecture today, Hannes?” Eren asked, leaning in the booth.

“Get that cigarette out here, kid.” Hannes rolled his eyes shoving Eren back a bit. “Jean already told me where you’re going and I gave him directions. You bring her back a reasonable time, you hear me?”

“Yes, Dad,” Eren gave him a salute before following where Jean was dragging him.

Mikasa settled in between both boys as they walked down the sidewalk together. “How was training today?” she asked looking over at Jean.

“The usual. I got my ass kicked. It’s getting better though.”

“That’s only because Mikasa can kick both of our asses,” Eren said, nudging her with his shoulder.

“Well, can’t deny that.”

There were a few stares, some pointing as they walked down the street; nothing too out of the norm. Of course she knew there had to be cameras somewhere as well, ready to get pictures for the newest tabloids. Well, they were always amusing when Eren read them to her at least. He also nearly gave her a heart attack by dropping his arm over her shoulders.

“What’re you doing?” she asked turning her head towards him.

“I can’t have the world thinking you’re Jean’s girl,” he answered with that toothy smile.

“And what would be so wrong about being my girl?” Jean snorted.

“Your haircut for one.”

“Hey, my haircut gets lots of compliments okay.”

“From preteen girls maybe.”

Mikasa started to laugh by the time Jean stuck out his tongue at Eren.

* * *

“‘Mikasa Ackerman seems to be getting her fill of Hollywood and the male actors that she’s working with. Last week seen with Jean Kirstein alone and now was most recently seen out with both Jean and Eren Jeager, who plays Mikasa oldest friend in the movie. Eren had his arm around Mikasa for most of their walk to meet with Connie Springer and Sasha Braus. It seems Jean didn’t take to it very much since he was seen then fighting with Eren over Mikasa. Two attractive males fighting over you, how can you go wrong?’”

“You did it on purpose,” Mikasa groaned, rolling her head back against Eren’s shoulder. She was sitting between his legs on his bed in his apartment, both propped up against the headboard.

He dropped the magazine and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss against her neck. “I like to stir up the drama.”

“I noticed.”

“It’s more fun this way.”

She felt him grinning against her skin; well, that she couldn’t quite deny. Mikasa reached over to grab her phone that was buzzing on the nightstand. She took a quick look at it before putting it to her ear. “Hey, mom, what’s up?”

“Hello, sweetie. I..um…well, I know you’re an adult and you can do how you please in your life but…”

Mikasa was already throwing a pillow at Eren who wasn’t hiding his laughter very well at what they knew was coming from her conservative mother.

“What’s this about you dating two guys?”


	35. Names

_**Anonymous:**  This seems like the smallest big request ever but could you do a short little drabble where you feature Eren and/or Mikasa using names like babe or baby or whatever. I know you've said that at first you couldn't see them doing it but then later you could see it. I can't put together a scenario in my mind of them using them so could you?? xx_

* * *

 

Mikasa always had a love hate relationship with her name. She loved it because her parents gave it to her and it was unique but she also hated it because no one ever seemed to be able to say it right. It was the worst when she was in elementary school, because everyone just called her  _Mih-casa_ and the “me casa es tu casa” jokes got old very fast. When she told them to stop it they just started calling her ‘Kasa instead which also got old real fast. She learned she hated nicknames in elementary school.

Junior High was pretty much the same. Everyone still pronounced her name as  _Mih-casa_ and when she corrected them they still couldn’t get it right.  _Meekasa_ they insisted on which was closer but not _Mee-kasa_ like it was supposed to be. ‘Kasa they still settled on or worse Mika which made her feel like a Pokemon. She loved her name, she did, but it was around that time she asked her parents why they didn’t name her Sarah or Elizabeth. High school didn’t change a thing and Mikasa decided if a boy couldn’t pronounce her name right she wasn’t gonna date him. She had an unsurprising lack of dates in high school.

By the time Mikasa got to college she didn’t even bother thinking anyone would say it right. Sure enough professors failed almost every time.

“ _Mih-casa_ Ackerman?”

“It’s  _Mee-kasa_.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,  _Meekasa._ ”

Whatever. It wasn’t worth the strife. She was beginning to think no one save for her family would say her name the way it was supposed to be, well, that was until she met Eren Jaeger. He was a boy in some of science classes and she knew he was studying medicine too. He had this messy head of brown hair, gorgeous tanned skin, and beautiful eyes; needless to say she had a bit of a crush on him even if she never even dreamed about talking to him. No, boys like him, even the smart ones, where way out of her league. He was nice to look at during class though. She liked to listen to him talk when the professor called on him. It was clear he didn’t know all the answers all the time, but he had such a passion for the material it was adorable.

Much to her surprise it was him who talked to her first.

“Hey!” he said one day, jogging up next to her and nearly giving her a heart attack. “I happened to notice we’re in a lot of classes together. Are you pre-med too?”

Mikasa started up at those big turquoise eyes she had become fond of. “Um, yeah, I am,” she said, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.

“Awesome,” he smiled. “Do you maybe want to study together sometime? Ah, shit, I’m sorry, my name’s Eren.” He held out a hand to her.

“ _Mee-kasa_ ,” she said, shifting her books in her arms to shake his hand.

“Nice to meet you _, Mee-kasa.”_

She could barely do much more than stare at him. Her name, the way it should be pronounced rolled off his tongue on the first try like it was nothing. She didn’t think it was possible for her to fall from him more, well, that was until she got to know him better. He was very laid back and relaxed about most everything, his roommate was his best friend since they were kids, his dad was a doctor, his mom called him almost every night, and he seemed to love to be around Mikasa.

The study sessions went from a few times a week before a test to every night, they went from in the library to lounging on his bed, from studying to making out. For the first time that Mikasa could remember she was actually dating a guy who pronounced her name right every time. He still got it right even when he was preoccupied with passion.

Mikasa learned quite quickly that maybe nicknames weren’t so bad because Eren was quite fond of them. He didn’t like ‘Kasa very much, though he used it on occasion. Normally it was Mika, a name Mikasa used to hate as a kid but on his lips it sounded so good.

“Hey, Mika?” he’d call and when it used to make her cringe it only made her smile now.

He always called her full name in front of her parents, but used his nicknames for her in front of his parents (who always pronounced her name right as well). Mikasa always wanted to ask him why, but she always tended to get distracted with him and never think about it again for a while.

While she had gotten used to the nicknames, pet names were something she was still a little unsure about. Eren never really used them, nor did she; Mikasa liked his name just as it was. He was also the first guy she seriously dated so she wasn’t quite sure how protocol for that went. She did know she hated it when guys she barely knew or guys she only went on a few dates called her “babe” or “baby”. It made her skin crawl. Maybe she’d like it on Eren’s lips, but he never called her by any other pet name than Mika and she thought it was just too silly to ask about.

It wasn’t until Eren went away for a few weeks during the summer that Mikasa missed any name he called her. He went away to work with his dad in another country and it was great opportunity for him, but she missed him every day when he was gone. He could only call once a week and it wasn’t even a fraction of enough time to talk to him.

She went with Carla to go pick them up from the airport, one Mikasa really liked because they let you at least go in and meet them at the shuttle inside the airport. The moment she saw that head of hair she missed so much she jumped into Eren’s arms and he caught her effortlessly. She buried her head in his neck, not caring who was watching them.

He just chuckled and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I missed you too, babe.”

Sure enough, like everything else Eren called her, it just made her melt. She never thought she’d see the day where every name she used to hate just only made her love him more. He could probably say her name wrong now and she’d still love it.

He never did though.


	36. Military

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for Sexual Situations and Language.

_**Anonymous:**  eremika army vs marines fluff/smut combo please, lyssla-senpai :3_

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Eren didn’t mind being stationed where he was. It was warm most all the time and he got to work on the ocean every day. It was pretty ideal except for the fact his family was across the country. Yeah, Eren had friends on his base; there was Reiner who Eren was pretty sure could bench press him and Bertholdt who was the only one tall enough to reach some of the things they had to fix. Annie was quiet like Bertholdt but she was tough as nails and didn’t take anyone’s shit. Eren liked them just fine but more often than not he missed his friends he grew up with, his missed his parents and he missed his girlfriend he had to leave behind.

There was nothing he loved more than driving to the airport to pick up someone who wanted to come visit him. Even more so when she had short black hair, bright eyes, and jumped into his arms when she saw him waiting for her at the airport. Eren missed everyone back home but he missed Mikasa the most. She was always with him; it was hard to be away from her for so long. Of course, it was better when she was sprawled out on his bed wearing some shorts and his t-shirt.

“Are you gonna show me around today?” she asked with a smile on her face as she watched him sitting at his desk.

“I dunno,” Eren said, stretching his arms over his head. “I may just wanna keep you here all day.”

“I don’t mind that.” She threw a pillow at him that hit him in the shoulder. “But I wanna see your base, your friends.”

“Cause you don’t believe I made any?” He closed his laptop and turned to face her.

“Maybe.”

He rolled his eyes. “Why so eager? We have all week.”

“I wanna see what the base is like,” she shrugged.

“Why? Planning on joining the Coast Guard anytime soon?”

“And what if I was?”

Eren knew Mikasa better than he knew himself but there were times he couldn’t tell if she was joking or not. “Nothing wrong with that,” he said standing up and walking over to sit with her on the bed. “Maybe we could get assigned to the same base as me.”

Mikasa hummed. “I dunno if I’d join the Coast Guard.”

“Why’s that?” He laid down next to her, draping an arm over her waist.

“I think I’d be better suited somewhere else.”

Eren pressed a few lazy kisses to her jaw. “Like where?” He could almost feel her grin when she answered.

“The Marines.”

“Oh, so that’s how we’re gonna play, huh,” he murmured against her neck, nipping at her skin.

Mikasa reached up to run her fingers through his hair; it sent chills down his spine. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You always have to one up me.” He slipped his hand under the shirt she was wearing, fingers brushing over the skin of her stomach.

“No,” she chuckled trailing her hands from his hair to the bare skin of his back. “I just think my abilities would fit better in that division.”

He kissed down to where her collar bone was poking out of his shirt. “They aren’t ninjas, Mika.”

“Neither am I.”

Eren pushed himself up and over her, his hands on either side of her shoulders and a leg nudged between hers. “I beg to differ. I’ve been the victim of being taken down by you.”

Mikasa reached up to hit him in the stomach but it lacked any force. It just turned into her running her hands up his chest. “You probably deserved it.

He leaned down to press a kiss to her lips. “Probably.” He let his hands slip under the shirt that was too big for her but this time he pulled it over her head.

”Would you be upset if I did?” She gasped when Eren leaned back down over her, his bare chest pressing to hers.

“Only if we had some kinda…” He paused to find the right words as he kissed down to her chest and his hands running up her sides. “A military Olympics where every branch had to compete.”

“Why?” Her back arched into him when his lips brushed over the top of her sensitive skin.

“Because you’d beat my ass in everything.”

“Not true.” She ran her hands down his stomach, fingers dipping into the waistband of his pants.

“Very true,” he snorted before running his tongue over her hard nipple.

Mikasa gasped, back arching up again and forcing more of her in his mouth. “Not if there was a game for cooking.” She slid her hand down the front of his pants, fingers brushing over his arousal.

“Mikasa,” he groaned, rolling his hips into her touch as she grabbed onto his erection. “It’s a military based Olympics.” He breathed in sharply when she started to rub her hand over him. “Why in God’s name would there be a cooking competition?”

“Who else would cook for the after party?”

Eren wanted to tell her that was ridiculous but her thumb brushed over his tip causing only a moan to fall from his lips. Eren reached his hand down, forcibly rubbing his fingers against her clothed core. With a gasp and a moan of her own, she rolled her hips into Eren’s hand.

“Physical activity,” he said his lips back kissing on her breast, fingers pressing right where he knew it would her squirm. “You could beat me at any physical activity.”

“Not true,” she breathed, her grip tightening as she moved her hand against him while her other hand reaching to tug his PJ pants down.

Eren didn’t think he could give her a coherent response. He kicked his pants off, his hands reaching to peel her shorts away. “How’s that?” he managed, teeth nipping at her skin. He ran his fingers up against her wet folds causing her hips to buck, a whimper coming from her mouth.

“You’re better at…” Her voice trailed off when Eren brushed his tip up against her entrance. “Swimming.”

He pushed himself in her with a low groan. God, did he miss her. “Swimming?” he breathed, resting his head against her shoulder.

She looked like she was gonna answer but Eren rolled his hips into her causing his name to fall from her lips instead. He kept a steady rhythm wanting to savor every second he had with her till she had to leave. Her fingers were tight in his hair, her legs wrapped firmly against his waist, impatiently moving on.

Eren tilted his lips up to her ear. “How do I swim better than you?”

She bit her lip trying to hold in a groan. “In the ocean, you swim better in the ocean.” Her voice was breathless and it sent chills through his body. He kept moving his hips into her, searing heat filling the pit of his stomach.

“You swim just-” His voice cut off when Mikasa rolled her hips up to meet his causing him to moan in her ear. “Fine in the ocean.”

She shook her head, her eyes clenched tight, her hips meeting his every motion against his. “You’re better, you’d beat me.”

Eren reached down to grip her hips, holding them firmly up to his. He trailed kisses along her neck, each motion harder than the last. He could already feel her withering underneath him but he knew how to make it better. He sat up off her, keeping one of his hands grapping onto her but slipped the other one in between them, his fingers brushing over her clit. That earned him a groan, her hips rolling frantically into him. As if he wasn’t losing it already as it was.

It was so hard to be away from her and everything that was Mikasa. He missed her voice, her smile, her presence, everyday but he was doing this so they could have a better life together.

“Eren,” she moaned, her hands still pulling on his hair. Her body was tense, her teeth biting at her bottom lip, hair falling over her face and onto his bed. She was gorgeous.

He knew he wasn’t gonna make it much longer but he kept rubbing at her clit, his pace picking up against her. Eren leaned his body back down on her, burying his face into her neck as pleasure washed over his body. “Mikasa,” he groaned when he felt her tighten around him, her body withering under her, her release mixing with his.

He breathed heavily onto her skin trying to catch his breath. One of her hands gently ran through his hair, the other rubbing down his back. Eren pressed a few kisses to her neck before rolling onto his side.

“Why don’t we do that today?” he asked, tracing his fingers over her stomach.

“Do what?” she laughed, rolling over to face him.

“Go swimming in the ocean and see if I would beat you in the National Military Olympics.”

Mikasa rolled her eyes but she leaned in till her lips were brushing against his. “Only if you prove that you’d beat me in the cooking competition after.”

“Done deal,” he murmured, reaching a hand up to brush into her hair as he kissed her.


	37. Pet Store

_**Anonymous:**  AU where Mikasa works in a pet store and Eren is constantly coming in just so talk to her, but he knows literally nothing about pets or animals and asks her the stupidest questions and she just watches him like ?????_

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Eren never had pets before in his life, so he wasn’t entirely sure what made him walk into the pet store that day. He quite literally walked by it every day on his way back to his dorm building and never paid much attention to it. He didn’t need a reason to go in, yet something made him step in. Maybe it was how cozy it looked, with cats curled up in the windows, and dogs in good sized kennels filled with beds and toys. It was clear it wasn’t those typical pet stores in the mall. The animals were cared for here and judging by the signs on the crates it was all strays or abandoned animals who needed good homes.

He walked the aisles for a bit, adjusting his backpack that hung over his shoulder as he looked down the rows of content and excited dogs, sleepy cats, pet toys, food, grooming, even some smaller animals like rabbits and hamsters all looking for someone to take them home. Eren wasn’t that person but he didn’t mind giving a few kind words to a cat who was meowing at him.

Eren was just gonna leave and probably never come back again but a voice stopped him.

“Hello,” she said with a smile from behind the counter where one of the cats was actually sleeping. “Can I help you?”

She must’ve gone to school with him, he couldn’t imagine why else she’d be working in a college town but he never remembered seeing her before. Eren knew he would’ve remembered that dark hair, those striking eyes. She was gorgeous even just wearing a polo with an apron over it.

“Um yeah,” Eren said even though he had no idea what he would need help over and continuing to open his mouth would lead to his downfall. “Do you sell pets here?”

“Yes,” she said slowly as if she wasn’t sure if he was kidding or not.

“Okay, thank you,” he said, mentally slapping himself for probably the stupidest question he ever asked someone. Do they have pets in a pet store? Jesus Christ, Eren. Do you even know how to talk to a girl? He gave her a smile before promptly turning and leaving the store as fast as he could.

The very next day he found himself peering into the glass windows again before stepping inside when he saw the pretty sales associate again. This time he left with a dog lead, though for what reason he didn’t know. He waited a few more days before going in again, and that time came out with a box of crickets.

“Oh, what kinda animal do you have?” she asked when she was ringing him up.

“Iguana,” Eren lied, thinking of the first reptile off the top of his head. They ate anything?

She paused and looked up at him. “You do know iguanas don’t eat crickets right?”

“Of course,” he laughed trying to ward off the horrible flush of embarrassment. “I was trying to catch you but you know your stuff.”

He promptly released the crickets a block down the street and googled what kinda animals actually eat crickets.

Mikasa, her name was Mikasa. Her brother and his wife owned the store so Mikasa had been working there for years, she told him one time when he bought yet another box of crickets and something for a cat, Eren wasn’t even really sure. All he knew was it somehow became routine to go into the pet store on the way home from class.

He still didn’t have any pets.

“Hello, Eren,” Mikasa smiled from her spot in front of the bunny pen as he walked in the door, familiar bells jingling over his head.

“Hey, Mikasa,” he grinned, feeling that catch in his breath just from being around her. It had been a few weeks since he started coming by and he took great pride in the fact she remembered his name and not just that weird kid who clearly knew nothing about animals but sure as hell pretended to.

“We just got him in,” she said holding up the floppy eared bunny. “My brother, you know the one who owns the store. He’s an animal control officer so he oversees the shelters and the animals that are fit to leave the shelters can come here. Levi just brought this guy by a few hours ago.”

“He looks so soft,” Eren said, walking the short distance to where Mikasa was standing.

“Never had a bunny before?”

More like never had a small animal in the house before. “Nah, not a bunny,” he said instead. “Though my little sister probably would’ve liked one.”

Mikasa made a knowing noise as she held the rabbit out to Eren, its little arms and legs flopping. “That makes sense.”

“What does?” He eyed the rabbit. It wiggled its nose a little, black eyes watching Eren. Did she want him to take the thing?

“You’re the big brother. Parents always send you to run the pet errands, huh?”

“Oh yeah,” he played along. “If they let Gwen in here she’d want to take home every animal she saw.” That wasn’t so much of a lie. “She’s six, anything fluffy she has to have.” Eren reached his hands out to take the rabbit from Mikasa, but he was unsure what to do with it after he was holding it up under its front legs, black eyes still watching him.

“Like a cat,” Mikasa said, mimicking holding something against her chest. “You have one don’t you?”

Eren quickly remembered all the cat toys he bought in previous weeks. “Yeah, yeah, of course.” He placed the bunny on his chest, its whiskers and nose tickling up against his chin. Eren let out a small laugh as he cupped the rabbit’s butt with one hand and the other pressed to its back. It was very soft, and really pretty cute. Why didn’t he ever have pets before? This was actually pretty comforting.

“He likes you,” Mikasa said with a smile. “Sure you never had a rabbit before?”

“Very sure,” Eren said though his nose started to tickle a bit. “Just the lizard and, um, the cat, and…” He had to think about what other animals he implied that he had but he could barely even remember. This is why you didn’t lie to people you actually liked. Before he could actually list off anything else he sneezed all over the poor rabbit.

“Dog too, right?” Mikasa said, reaching out to take the rabbit from his arms, though she didn’t look too upset at him.

“Um…” He supposed he could say yes and she’d never know, but he felt guilt in the pit of his stomach. She was always so kind to him and here he was lying about his home life just to talk to her. When he put it like that, it was more than a little pathetic. “No, the dog was my neighbor’s.” Not a lie. His neighbors back home did have a dog, even it was too old to actually be walked anywhere. It just slept on the back porch all day.

A cat walked up and nudged its face up against Eren’s leg, purring as it brushed by him. He bent down to scratch its fluffy head. Was he allergic to cats? He didn’t actually know. He seemed okay walking in here every day so he assumed he was okay but God, how horrible would that be to say he had a cat and then find out he was allergic.

“We always had cats too,” Mikasa said, placing the rabbit back down into the pen. “Levi finds stray cats far more than dogs and would bring them home every so often. We had a few dogs, but much more cats.”

“Easier to take care of,” Eren said, the cat nuzzling his hand. That was he assumed, he didn’t actually know. “Is this one yours? Or is it part of the shop?”

“She’s here for adoption.” Mikasa gestured to the front desk and Eren quickly followed. “She’s well behaved and loves people so we let her wander hoping she’ll charm her way into someone’s heart.”

With a small cry the cat followed behind Eren, nearly tripping him as she tried to get his attention.

“Like that,” Mikasa chuckled. “Sure you don’t wanna take her home? Give your sister a new friend to play with?”

“Don’t tempt me,” he said. “She’d love a cat to play with.”

“Another one you mean.” Mikasa leaned up against the front counter and he quickly remembered his mistake.

“Yeah, yet another one to play with.” Okay, it was harder than it looked when he went his whole life never thinking much of pets. “Hey, um, do you go to school here?” Eren asked, quickly changing the subject before he slipped up again.

“I go in the afternoons,” Mikasa said, that easy smile on her lips that Eren was very willing to get used to seeing. “I tend to open here since Levi works his patrol in the morning, and Hanji works at the vet clinic up the street till 4. Which is how they met.”

“The timeless tale of the Cop and the Vet?”

“Timeless and romantic,” Mikasa laughed with a roll of her eyes. “Levi and Hanji are like putting a cat who wants nothing to do with anyone in the same room as a puppy that just wants to play, but they love each other anyway.”

“Sounds like they’re fun at parties.”

Mikasa laughed again and Eren couldn’t help but smile. He’d lie about animals all day if it meant he got to see her face light up like that.

“But, yes,” she said. “I take all afternoon or night classes. I normally just walk right up after work and hang out until class, or help here if they need me.”

A jolt went through Eren’s body. He wasn’t even sure if he should ask. After all, they were merely acquaintances at this point; the pretty girl who worked at the pet store and the guy who always came in to bother her. At the same time, he couldn’t let it go unsaid, not when he really did like this girl. “You know, I don’t live too far from here. Me and my roommate Armin. If you ever need to get away and need a place to come to your more than welcome to come by. Or I can keep you company on the walk up or back from campus. I typically put off homework till about midnight anyway.”

Mikasa bit down on her bottom lip, but there was a smile there. “I think I’d like that.”

Eren was pretty sure his hand was about to slip from the shelf and cause him to fall on the cat that was no sleeping next to him on the floor. “Yeah?”

“Yeah, I’m always, um, well here really. I don’t have much time to make friends. Having you come in so much…” She hesitated for a moment, eyes looking up to meet his. “It’s been really nice.”

He was fairly certain he had the stupidest smile on his lips but he couldn’t even be bothered to try and not to. “What time do you get off today?”

“Whenever Hanji gets out,” Mikasa said, reaching a hand up to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. “Normally around four. You can come back around then if you’d like.”

“Yeah, sure, sounds great.” Eren started to back up towards the door, about to wave and turn to leave.

“Oh, wait!” Mikasa said taking a few steps towards him. “I’m sorry, I distracted you when you first came in. Did you need something to buy?”

Duh, the whole reason he was pretending to come in here in the first place. “Oh, yeah, thanks for reminding me,” he said, hoping his face hadn’t flushed a noticeable red. “Just the crickets.”

Mikasa hurried over to get the usual box he had been buying to ring him out but Eren didn’t even know if he gave her the right amount from his wallet, if she gave him the right change. Even as they said a quick, “Goodbye, see you in a bit”, all he could think about was how he finally got to hang out with Mikasa outside the store.

He walked down the sidewalk, holding the bag with the crickets in his hand, and still probably looking ridiculous but whatever. It didn’t matter to him at all. He took his time walking to the usual place where he dumped his crickets, because it was a suddenly beautiful day out and also figuring out what to tell Armin who would know something was up the moment Eren walked in through the door.

“Okay, fellows,” Eren said as he crouched down near the entrance of an alleyway. He pulled the box out and popped it open. “Be free and merry to live another day.”

“Eren?”

He fumbled with the box, dropping it on the ground as the crickets hopped away into the distance. He tried not to completely fall over as his head snapped over to the sidewalk, Mikasa standing there with her bag in her hand. “Oh hey,” he said trying to shield the mass exodus of crickets with his body. “Did I forget something?” Of course one stupid cricket had to go and hop right across the sidewalk in front of Mikasa.

“No, Hanji got out early and let me leave,” she said, one eye brow arched at him. “Are you letting your crickets you just paid for go?”

He figured he could lie and say he fell and was trying to get the crickets back but if he was gonna actually spend real time with this girl the lies had to stop. “Um, yes,” he said, shoving the now empty box back in the bag and slowly standing up to his feet.

She watched him for a second her face not changing and Eren thought that was it. He truly and royally screwed this one up. Mikasa reached one hand up to her mouth and started to laugh harder than he ever heard her before. “Oh thank God,” she sighed, her eyes meeting his.

Eren furrowed his eyebrows. “You…you aren’t mad?”

“No,” she said, reaching up to wipe a few tears from her eyes. “I’m just glad you weren’t actually taking care of any animals. I was worried I was gonna have to send Levi to check up on your pets living conditions.”

Relief filled his body. She wasn’t angry even though she probably should be. Thank God he fell for a girl with a sense of humor. He pointed his hand that was still holding the bag at her. “Hey, I wasn’t that bad.”

“Eren, you asked me if a rawhide bone was okay for a cat.”

He opened his mouth to rebut her but there wasn’t much anything for that. “Okay, I’ve never had a pet in my life, and I’m pretty sure I’m actually allergic to some types of fur.”

Her eyes were bright as she watched him. “Did you do all that so you could talk to me?”

He shrugged. “What gave me away?”

She laughed again and tugged her bag up over her shoulder. “Why don’t you come with me get something to eat and I’ll tell you everything you could ever want to know about taking care of an actual cat.”

A smile pulled at his lips as he watched her. She was beautiful, gentle, kind, funny, and she already put up with his shit. He’d be stupid to say anything else but, “Yes, please, teach me everything you know, oh, wonderful cat goddess.”

Which is exactly what he did.

She didn’t even roll her eyes. She just took his hand in hers, a horde of crickets chirping happily down the alley they walked by.  


	38. Pool Party

_**Anonymous:**  eremika pool party AU (with other couples!!) pleaseee <3_

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If there was one thing for Mikasa that meant the start of summer, it was going swimming in the Jaeger’s pool. Having a pool party at Eren’s house was the introduction to summer for as long as Mikasa could possibly remember; from elementary school all the way up to this year, which was going into their last year of high school. While it used to just be her, Armin, and Eren, that grew as they got older and got more friends, and now it seemed like the whole pool area was full with people.

Mikasa had taken a seat on one of the beach lounge chairs Carla set up so people didn’t have to sit on the ground if they didn’t want to be in the pool, though most everyone was in the pool. Through the shaded lenses of her sunglasses she could pick out Connie doing a cannonball into the water and effectively soaking a not too thrilled Annie who was sitting on the edge of the pool. Jean was floating in the shallow end, or was, once Connie caused that wave Jean decided it was a good time to go hold Connie underwater for it but Bertholdt and Reiner still lingered in the shallow end offering no help to Connie. Ymir was in the water but leaning up against the side of the pool where Historia was sitting, threatening to pull her in at any second much to the blonde’s (fake) disapproval.

Marco was lounging out of the pool, sunglasses on his face as he relaxed in the sun. Mina was sitting reading a magazine near him, probably to alert him if anyone tried to draw in sunblock on his chest. Armin was walking onto the porch that attached to both the Jaeger’s house and the pool, a plate full of food in his hands and Eren following behind, a drink in his hand and a wide smile on his face.

Mikasa felt stupid for the way her breath caught in her throat. It wasn’t even the first time she saw him today, not even the first time she saw him shirtless, let alone shirtless today but she still couldn’t help it. Eren was always cute, and she knew she always harbored a crush on him that she desperately tried to ignore but it seemed to be an hourly occurrence for him to take her breath away; especially just in swim trunks where she could see just how well all those trips to the gym they did together were paying off.

Heat rose to her cheeks and she hoped the shade from the umbrella she was sitting under masked that well enough. He turned his back to her as he talked to Armin on the porch, giving her a full view of his broad shoulders, the muscles that had formed underneath his tan skin, the way his lower back dipped in just a little bit, his…

“Hey, Mikasa.” Sasha popped her head right into Mikasa’s view of Eren. “You know you got a little drool right here.” Sasha gestured to the corner of her lips.

Mikasa reached out to push Sasha away, only making the girl fall halfheartedly into the chair next to Mikasa. Great, now her face felt even hotter than before at getting caught staring. Maybe she could just blame it on the sun she…wasn’t sitting under.

Sasha was laughing, Sasha found it hilarious. “Relax,” she chuckled, sitting back in the chair. “It’s not like everyone doesn’t already know.”

“Oh, thanks, Sasha, I feel so much better now.”

“Stop it,” she laughed again before gesturing her head over to Eren. “Remember when he was a skinny as a rail?” Sasha let out a low whistle. “Not so much anymore.”

Mikasa really didn’t feel like having this conversation. “I noticed thanks.”

“Then why’re you still sitting here?” Sasha gave a slightly devilish looking grin. “In a brand new bathing suit you probably spent hours shopping for specifically for this day.”

“I’ve had this for years,” Mikasa said, glancing down at the black and pink bikini she bought last week after spending hours trying on just about every bathing suit in the store. Goddamn it, Sasha.

“Okay, whatever you say.” That smile wasn’t going anywhere.

“Are you done yet?”

Sasha shrugged. “Look, Mik, we all know you’ve had the biggest thing for him since…well, since before I even knew you guys.  You’ve been lucky that Eren never really seemed all too into dating in high school despite girls trying. You might not be that lucky in college. All I’m saying is you better get over whatever it is holding you back from that glorious piece of a man before it’s too late.”

Mikasa’s heart was in her throat. It wasn’t like she never thought about that, it wasn’t like the dates he did go on didn’t feel like someone was stabbing her in the chest. “He’s just my friend,” she said weakly, not even enough to convince herself let alone Sasha who already had an eyebrow arched.

“Please, anyone who saw you look at him would know that wasn’t true.” Sasha stood up, stretching her arms over her head. “And if you think that’s bad, you should see how he looks at you.”

Mikasa’s stomach fluttered in a way that was almost overwhelming. She leaned forward as Sasha started to walk away. “Wait, what do you mean?”

It was too late though, Sasha was already diving into the pool popping up right next to Jean, pushing him right under; probably to get back at him dunking Connie so much. Mikasa leaned back in her chair, biting down on her lower lip.

That…that couldn’t be true. Eren sometimes didn’t even know when girls were hitting on him, let alone notice she had feelings for him. That was unless he didn’t know but…had feelings for her? God, the thought almost made her laugh a loud (and then maybe cry a little). That would never happen. She’d always been one of the guys in his eyes; even when she got boobs, she was still just one of the guys.

“What the hell are you spacing out over?”

Eren’s voice nearly made her jump out of her skin. She looked over to see him sitting on the edge of the chair Sasha had been sitting in, his knees nearly brushing up against Mikasa’s leg. Her heart started to pound when she met his eyes, as he pushed his sunglasses up onto his head.

“Nothing, just spaced,” she said, pushing up her own sunglasses to see him better.

“Okay, well, c’mon.” He leaned forward a little to hit his hand against her leg, his touch leaving goose bumps on her skin. “Mom asked me to run down to the store to get a few things we ran out of for lunch.”

“You want me to come with you?”

“Well, yeah, Mik, that’s why I’m here.” He rolled his eyes but he had that sloppy smile on his lips, the one that made her heart skip whenever it was directed at her.  

“Oh, well, okay,” she said reaching down to the side of the chair to grab her previously discarded clothing.

Eren was already standing up again, sunglasses back over his eyes. “It’s just Pixis’ store. He won’t care what you’re wearing.”

She still stood up and pulled her shorts on over her bathing suit bottoms; all she needed was for someone who knew her parents to drive by as she was walking down the street in just a bikini with Eren. She might be a senior in high school now, but her parents still seemed to think she was in middle school. “Okay,” she said, gesturing towards the house. “Lead the way.”

Instead of turning into the house like she expected he turned down the porch steps, grabbing a handful of chips out of bowl on the table as he did; okay, that she expected. Mikasa followed him down into the backyard then back towards the front, Eren holding the fence gate open for her so they could head out to the familiar stretch of sidewalk from Eren’s house to Pixis’ convenience store.

They all walked there so many times Mikasa was pretty sure she could make the short walk with her eyes closed. Most their summers as kids involved going down there every day for candy and soda to beat out the long summer days; a tradition that still hadn’t quite left them.

“What is it your mom needs?” Mikasa asked, glancing over at Eren who was walking in stride next to her.

“Two bags of ice,” he said.

“Your mom wants us to walk back in the middle of the summer with two bags of ice? Does she want ice water and figures this is as good as any way to get it?”

He snorted, hands slipping into the pockets on his swim shorts. “It was her way of making sure we didn’t take too long.”

Well, that sounded more like Carla. Mikasa didn’t say anything else, and neither did Eren. It wasn’t too uncommon; while Eren tended to talk more than her, sometimes when it was just them they didn’t always need to talk. It was normally an easy, comfortable silence but lately she kept feeling the nerves turning the pit of her stomach every time there was silence between them. She felt like she needed to fill it or he was gonna think she was boring or stupid which was of course stupid in itself because Eren knew Mikasa since she was a kid. If he thought those things they still wouldn’t be as close as they were. Right?

She turned to him, the words “So have you…” falling from her lips at the very same time he said, “I was thinking…”

They both cut off, Eren laughing lightly and Mikasa feeling heat rise up to her face. “Oh, um, go ahead.”

He waved her off. “It’s fine, go on.”

“No, what were you gonna say?” She pushed it mainly because she completely forgot what she was gonna ask him.

“Okay.” He clapped his hands together and turned to face her, walking backwards down the sidewalk. “I was thinking about all the stuff we could do this summer.”

“Why so excited?” she asked, a smile pulling at her lips at the sight of the boyish grin on his face. “It’s not like we haven’t spent every summer together since we were nine.”

“Yeah, but, this is the first summer our parents don’t have to lug us around everywhere.  _I_ can drive us around this time.” He looked so proud of that fact it was impossible not to smile.

“I don’t think even Carla is gonna let us get in the car with you at the wheel to go farther than school.”

He snorted but promptly ignored Mikasa. “First things, I was thinking we could up to the beach this weekend. What do you think?”

She did love the beach though they really only went a few times given the fact it was a few hours ride to get to a nice one. “We can’t, remember? Armin has his college class starting on Saturdays.”

“I know, why can’t just me and you go?” He clicked his tongue and pointed a finger at her. “Admit it, it’s that you don’t wanna be in the car with me.”

Mikasa had to remember how to breathe, how to speak. He wanted to go all the way to the beach with just her? “I’ve been in the car with you more than anyone save for your parents, idiot. Why would I not wanna get in the car with you?”

“Then you’ll go?” There was something about the tone of his voice that caught her off guard. Something about the way his eyes brows were raised, about the way his body was kinda tensed as he walked. Pixis’ store was sight, right at the end of the block.

“Of course, I’ll go,” she said; like there was ever any other answer.

He smiled wider but if he was gonna say anything else she didn’t know; mainly because she cut him off by opening the door to the store, bells jingling as she did. He held it open for her, letting her step into the air conditioned room.

“Eren, you better turn around and walk right back out,” Pixis said from behind the counter, Hawaiian shirt clashing spectacularly like always.

“What’s your problem, old man?” Eren said, pushing his sunglass onto his head. “I paid for everything on our tab last week, we have no gripes.”

“I knew you were dim witted, kid, but can you not read too?” Pixis was looking pretty serious, mustache over his lip twitching but Mikasa highly doubted Eren was actually in trouble; she wasn’t the only one who liked to give him a hard time. He just made it so easy.

“What’re you going on about?”

“You aren’t wearing a shirt so you aren’t allowed in the store, says so right on the door.”

Eren squinted at Pixis, like Eren was trying to figure out if the store owner was joking or not. “Are you kidding me?”

“You know how it goes. No shirt, no service. Just cause you wanna show off doesn’t mean everyone wants to see it.”

Eren’s face flushed but he kept his jaw clenched. “C’mon, Mik, we can get the ice somewhere else.”

“Oh no, she can stay,” Pixis said, leaning up against the counter.

“Why?” Eren sputtered. “She isn’t wearing a shirt either!”

“Yeah, but I like Mikasa more.”

Eren pointed a finger at Pixis. “You’re just a pervy old man is what it is.”

“Get a shirt or get out.”

“Just wait outside,” Mikasa said trying not to laugh when Pixis winked at her. “I’ll get the ice.”

Eren grumbled as he placed the money from his mom Mikasa’s hand before opening the door again. “Just wait till I call the better business bureau on your ass.”

“Just wait till I start charging you full price on that coffee you drink every morning,” Pixis called after him but the door was already shut. “He’s in a good mood today, eh?”

Mikasa placed the money on the counter on the way to the side cooler. “Only because you tease him so well.” She swung the door open and grabbed the two bags of ice.

“Just the two for you?”

“For now,” Mikasa said, waving her fingers as she gripped a bag in each hand. “Until Carla runs out again.”

“See you then,” Pixis waved back with a smile as Mikasa pushed open the door again.

Eren was standing off to the side looking disgruntled but he quickly noticed her walking out and went to grab the bags of ice.

“I got it,” she tried to say but he already had the both of them, one his hand and one being swung over his shoulder.

“I don’t think I trust you holding bags of ice. I’ve had ice cubes dropped down my pants one too many times thanks.”

“Like you’ve never done that to me either,” she snorted, following him back down the side walk.

“Yeah, guilty,” he said without a flicker of remorse.

It only made her laugh. They had been together for so long; it was hard to ever imagine her life without him. She only hoped he felt the same way.

Maybe Sasha was right. Maybe Mikasa should say something before it was too late. It was hard to imagine Eren with a girl longer than a week but that was bound to change. While she knew Eren would never let a girl come between their friendship, that didn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt to see a girl so close to him, to watch him act the way Mikasa always wanted him to act towards her. Maybe he just really didn’t even know how she felt. Maybe she should just go and say it.

The feeling of burning cold against her back nearly made her trip over her feet in an effort to get away from it. She knew the culprit even before she heard him laughing. “What the hell was that for?” she asked, reaching her hand behind her back to try and warm up some of the numb parts of her skin.

“You were zoned out so hard I couldn’t help it.”

“That’s not a good excuse.”

“That’s always a good excuse.”

She rolled her eyes but she couldn’t stop the smile pulling at her lips. He was infuriating in all the most endearing ways. That was okay though, if he was good at getting her she was even better at payback. Mikasa looked back over at him; he was staring straight ahead again but he had that smile on his lips, and no matter what mood she was in always made her feel better.

“So,” she said, her heart skipping just a bit. “What’re we gonna do at the beach then?”

He shrugged. “I figured we could leave early. I can come get you at your house or see if your parents will let you sleep in the guest room here. We can eat something on the way over there, my mom already said she’d make lunch and stuff to bring. When we get there we can, uh, you know, do whatever you want. Swim, sleep, read, fish, whatever.”

Mikasa almost couldn’t believe it. Eren never planned anything ahead; he was always spontaneous and planned everything up on the go. The fact he already had something so planned almost a week in advanced was nothing short of incredible. She wanted to ask him why? Why did a beach trip with just the two of him deem such thought from him?

“Do you even remember the last time we tried to go fishing?” she said instead.

Eren snorted as he stepped up onto the walkway that led to his front door. “I swear that was a shark not a fish.”

“A shark wouldn’t have gone after whatever dinky bait you were using. You got pulled in the water by a common fish.”

He glanced behind him and held up one of the ice bags. “Need I remind you I hold the ice?”

She reached out to hold to the door for him as he carefully swung the ice bag towards her.

“Eren Jaeger,” Carla called from the kitchen when she caught sight of him walking towards the kitchen. “Did you seriously drag Mikasa away from the pool just to keep you company on a three minute walk?”

“Ma,” he grunted as he dropped the bags into the sink. “It’s fine.”

“It is not.” Carla swatted his hands away before turning to give Mikasa a smile. “Go on back outside, dear, enjoy yourself.”

“Okay,” Mikasa said trying to hide her laugh behind a hand but it didn’t work when Carla turned on Eren again. Mikasa slipped out the back door and onto the porch.

“Mikasa!” Sasha shouted from the pool but was quickly cut off by Reiner jumping on her back and sinking her under the water. A splash went up nearly making Armin, who was sitting up in an inner tube nearly fall out; a careful hand from Annie reaching out from the edge of the pool making sure he stayed afloat.

“Are you coming in?” Connie asked before tossing a beach ball over to Marco who was wading out in the deep end; well, until Jean dived over to knock the ball out of Marco’s hands effectively making the both of them fall under the water.

“I’m not sure if I should, I like my life,” Mikasa said, but she was already slipping back out of her shorts.

“Dunno, the water seems great.” Eren was so close to her it nearly made her jump.

She turned her head to see him standing right behind her. “Seems a little rough.”

“Wanna jump together?” He moved so he was standing next to her, his skin nearly touching hers, his breath warm on her face.

“Okay,” she nodded.

“On three then?”

“On three.”

“One…two…”

Mikasa reached out to Eren’s chest and pushed him right into the pool, a splash and cheers accompanying him falling into the water. She reached a hand up to cover her laugh but it did nothing when he popped up out of the water, his brown hair a sopping wet mess on his head and his sunglasses floating next to him.

It was the look on his face that took her breath away. He was looking up at her with a wide and proud grin on his lips, and when his hands reached up to push his dripping bangs from his face his eyes were bright and full of something that made her heart skip; adoration. She knew because that’s how she looked at him.

Maybe Sasha was right.

Eren held his hand up and gestured for her to get in, sloppy grin on his lips. Others were shouting, calling her name, but she could only see him.

Maybe she should take a chance before it was too late.

Mikasa stepped back from the pool before running and jumping right in.


	39. Reincarnation

_**Anonymous:**  Lyssa, when you have time, do you mind doing a reincarnation au of eremika? I don't need much, i just love to read the part when they recognize each other, it melts my heart <3_

* * *

 

It was always the same dreams. They didn’t come every night but quite often when Eren closed his eyes and fell off into sleep he’d dream he was running. Sometimes he was flying, sometimes he was on a horse but he was always running from something. He couldn’t ever get a good look at what he was running from but it was so big it made the ground shake, it made his heart race, his body tense up with fear.

Armin was normally always there running beside him and covered in blood but it wasn’t his own. Eren didn’t know how he knew that but he did. There were a few other people he didn’t recognize (though one always looked strangely like his history professor); their faces too blurry for him to be able to remember what they looked like in the morning. One unfamiliar face always did stand out though. Eren would wake up, his heart pounding and his body covered in sweat, and he would see one face so clearly it was like she was standing in front of him. It was a girl, an Asian girl with black hair and dark eyes. Her clothing was always blurry but one thing that stuck out was a red scarf around her neck.

Eren had never even seen this girl before. He had no idea why he’d be dreaming of her let alone remember her so clearly when the dream was over. He told Armin once about it and he spewed out some scientific answer about dreaming and the subconscious that Eren promptly tuned out. Armin was too smart for his own good sometimes.

Eren asked his mom once too (it wasn’t worth asking his dad, he’d give Eren the same boring answer that Armin did). Maybe she had strange reoccurring dreams too. Carla got a thoughtful look on her face as Eren explained the dreams where he was running terrified from some unseen force and that Armin was there and so was some girl.

Carla said it could be representing a fear he had in his life, that it might not be literal just the representation of something he might be running from. Armin was there because Armin was always there; him and Eren were friends since they were babies.

“And the girl?” Eren had asked her.

Carla got a grin on her face. “Maybe it’s your future wife.”

Eren had enough of the conversation by that point but his mom just laughed.

She said that some people thought reoccurring dreams were of the past lives you lived trying to connect to the person you were today. Eren thought like that sounded like a load of shit and Carla hit him with the towel in her hands for that one.

He was more apt to believe the first explanation that his subconscious was just trying to tell him something. There was just one thing that didn’t make sense. If he was dreaming of some future woman in his life, how did he know exactly what she looked liked? Why did he feel like he had known her for so long? Why did he wake up with tears in his eyes when her body laid broken in front of him in his dreams?

The dreams didn’t come too often, maybe a few times a month so Eren did his best to not dwell on them. Dreams were dreams and that was all.

That was until Eren saw her.

He was walking to his first of the class of the day (which was way too early if you asked him), trying to keep himself from burning his tongue on some coffee, when he saw her. She was sitting on a bench on the sidewalk adjacent to the one he was on; her eyes looking down at a book in her lap but Eren recognized her face right away.

He promptly did burn his tongue on his coffee; a string of curses came from his mouth, the coffee spilled everywhere on the sidewalk and the girl to looked up at him. There was no sudden realization of who she was, no destiny bull like his mom suggested, just a bit of an awkward moment as the only realization that hit Eren was he probably just thoroughly embarrassed himself. He gave her a bit of a meek wave from his spot on the side walk.

She gestured to her mouth trying to ask him if he was okay, at least that’s what Eren thought she was doing.

He tried to smile despite his embarrassment and gave her a thumbs up.

The girl laughed a little but she gave him a thumbs up back.

Eren turned away from her when she looked back down to her book and hoped to God he never had to see her again because he was pretty sure that was one of the most embarrassing things he had done in front of a girl before, well, at least in college. A huge part of him did want to know who she was and why she was in his dreams but it was probably just a coincidence. That was all, just a coincidence.

That’s what he told himself of course but even he started to doubt it when he saw her everywhere around campus. She’d be walking in front of him or she’d be at the table next to him in the library. She’d be a few people in front of him in line when he went to buy food or she’d get out of the class room right next to him.

The dreams got more frequent. He was having them more than a few times a week ever since he saw her. They were getting longer, more detailed. He could almost pick out the faces around him (okay, that definitely was his history professor in there). Eren started to know things about the world he was in while he dreaming. He knew his parents were gone, and he knew so were Armin’s. The girl, he still had no idea what her name was, she was an orphan too and the scarf he always saw her wear, it was a gift from him. How or why he had no idea.

He knew something was wrong the night he dreamed large hands reached down and grabbed him. He struggled and struggled to get free but he couldn’t. He couldn’t breathe. The hand was crushing him and everything was going black. One voice cut through his mind. She was screaming his name. Her voice was broken, terrified, panicked. Eren knew he had to get back to her but he couldn’t, he couldn’t even move.

He woke up to his name being called, hands pressed against his shoulders. Eren blinked open his eyes and had to reach up to wipe away the tears that fell.

Armin was sitting on the edge of the bed, his forehead furrowed.

“I’m sorry, man,” Eren’s voice cracked. “Did I wake you up?”

“You were shouting in your sleep.”

Was he? “I’m sorry, just a bad dream.”

Armin watched him for a moment. “Eren?”

“Yeah?”

“Who’s Mikasa?”

The name sent a jolt through his body but why he didn’t know. He never heard that name in his life before. “I dunno, why?”

“That’s the name you were shouting.”

That’s when Eren knew something was wrong. This shouldn’t be happening. He shouldn’t be having these dreams. He shouldn’t know people’s names he had never met before. He thought about going to talk to someone about all of this, to see if a professional could understand why he was dreaming things he couldn’t understand. Maybe he would but there was one common factor in all of this even he could tell. That girl. Once he saw her the dreams got more frequent, they got worse.

Which is how he found himself wandering through the upper levels of the library trying to force himself to run into her. He had to talk to her. Maybe that would put his mind at ease once and for all. He loosened the scarf around his neck now that he was in the heat of the building and not the incoming winter air outside. Normally he seemed to see her everywhere but of course when he was looking for her she was nowhere to be found.

Granted, this was pretty stupid. The campus was huge and she could be anywhere. He didn’t know what he was doing but he just had to do something. He turned another aisle of books leading to the far back of this floor when he finally saw her sitting at a table in the back corner with textbooks, notebooks, and her laptop in front of her.

Eren swallowed hard at the fool he was probably gonna make of himself but he walked over and sat down at the table in front of her, dropping his bag to the floor.

The girl looked up at him. She didn’t look mad, though maybe a little confused.

“I see you around campus a lot,” Eren said like that wouldn’t make him look like a creep.

“I see you around a lot too,” she said with what Eren hoped was a twitch of a smile and not a grimace. “Ever since you burnt your mouth on that coffee.”

“I’m really actually much smoother I promise. Everyone has an off day.”

She laughed and he couldn’t help but smile. The girl he saw in his dreams was never smiling; she was even prettier this way. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt then.”

“I’m Eren by the way.”

“Mikasa.”

His stomach dropped. The name Armin said Eren was calling…the girl from the dream…the way…the way she…

“Eren?” Mikasa’s forehead was furrowed in concern.

He had seen that look…no, he knew that look. Mikasa always looked at him like that, like she was always worried about him; like he was ready to run off at any minute without her. Which he did, so many times. The way she was calling his name in her dreams it was because of the way she loved him. He loved her too, so much. Always, it was always her.

“Eren?” she asked again, her voice a little distant. “Are you okay?”

When he looked up at her she was leaning over the table towards him, her hand reaching for his. “Mikasa?” his voice was a little hoarse; the name that hadn’t been spoken on his lips for God knows how long. “Do you every dream that you’re running but no matter how much you run you can never escape the monsters behind you?”

She was quiet for a moment as she watched him. She stood to her feet, her chair pushing back against the carpet. For a moment Eren thought he must’ve freaked her out with his crazy behavior and she was getting the hell out of there. Instead of running though she walked over to where he was sitting, her dark eyes never leaving his.

“Every night,” she said, her voice soft. Mikasa reached out a hand to brush by his cheek. “You’re always there, Armin too, and all the others but no matter how hard I try every single time I can never save you.”

Eren grabbed her wrist, keeping her hand near his face. “I never told you.”

Her face softened despite the tears in her eyes that hadn’t fallen yet. “I always knew.”

He reached up for her waist, arms wrapping around her and pulling her in until his face was pressed up against her stomach. He took in a shaky breath. She still smelt the same. Her hands ran through his hair. “Did you know it was me?” he asked, eyes fluttering shut.

“From the moment I saw you in passing by with Armin freshman year.”

Eren snorted. “That sounds about right.”

She laughed and it was music to his ears. His memories from their past lives just seemed so unfair with so much loss, so much death, so much hopelessness. Eren got a second chance. He had a chance to have a life, to cherish the people he lost before, and to love like he was never given the chance to.

He let go of her only so he could stand up. She was a bit shorter than him causing her to look up, tears on her cheeks. Eren reached his hands up to cup her face, thumbs wiping away her tears. Before Mikasa could say anything he leaned in until his lips were pressed up to hers.

She gasped but quickly kissed him back, her hands gripping into his jacket and the familiar red scarf falling onto her arms.

It felt like there was a part of him that was filled, a part he didn’t even know he was missing until suddenly she was there. She was here with him. It was all that mattered. He broke away, leaning his forehead to hers. “Are your parents…?”

Mikasa nodded. “We live a few towns away.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. She got to grow up with her real family this time around. If anyone, she deserved that.

“What about yours?”

“My dad works at the hospital in the city, and my mom owns a flower shop in town.”

Mikasa let out a choked cry, her watery eyes looking up to him. “I’d like to see them again.”

“Of course, if I can meet yours the right way.”

She nodded, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her head in his shoulder. Her body started to shake and he knew she was crying again, but unlike times in the past this was for all the good reasons.

To anyone else this might seem strange, sudden. In this life this was the first time he ever talked to her but it didn’t matter. When he looked at her all he could see was that little girl who was always by his side. He knew her better than he knew himself. He loved her. That would never change no matter what life they lived.

“I missed you so much,” she cried against his shoulder.

He leaned his head against hers, hands rubbing up and down her back. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”


	40. Neighbors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated T for Implied Sexual Situations. A brief mention of abortion as well.

_**Anonymous:**  Can you do a fic where Eren and Mikasa live in the same apartment complex and up sleeping together, then find out Mikasa is pregnant?_

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It really was a terrible cliché. The gorgeous girl next door in Eren’s apartment building who also happened to live alone and always seemed to be up at all hours of the night like he was.

It started out innocent enough. He got some of her mail on accident and waited till a reasonable hour to return it to her. Eren had seen her in passing before but he couldn’t help but have his breath taken away when she opened the door, thanking him with a smile.

Mikasa Ackerman was her name, a social worker who stayed up too late working on case files to help kids like her who had no parents and were left alone at a young age. Of course he didn’t learn that last bit until a few days later when he knocked on her door late one night, two mugs of coffee in his hand. A little bold sure but Eren figured the worst that could happen was she slammed the door in his face. Thankfully that wasn’t what happened.

They talked for a bit. She told him she stayed up late to work and he told her he worked third shift at the hospital so he understood. She had no family and all he had was his dad. She was new to the city and he lived here his whole life. She admitted she didn’t get out as much as she used to and he said not many people he knew could handle someone working third shift like him. Somewhere along the small talk and laughter something must’ve just clicked between them because one moment Eren was sipping his coffee and the next he was kissing her, Mikasa’s hands tangled up in his hair.

They didn’t even make it to her bed.

Eren was no saint. He had his fair share of one night stands. It was much easier than pursuing a relationship that almost always fell apart due to his job. He was used to having that good night and moving on with his life in the morning. This time though he couldn’t get Mikasa out of his mind. She was incredible. He liked her well enough before he slept with her but that night she just blew his mind; quite literally.

It was a long time since being with someone felt that good, felt that real, like there could be so much more. Eren just didn’t know how to approach it. It was a touchy thing especially if she wanted it to just be a one night thing. It turned out he didn’t have to because the very next night she was standing in his doorway, a shy smile on her lips and two cups of coffee in her hands.

It was their thing from then on. In the late nights when no one else was awake they found some comfort in each other; sometimes to the point where Mikasa would jump right into his arms the moment she saw him; there were many times like the first night where they didn’t quite make it to a bedroom. Though they both agreed they worked too much for an actual relationship for the time being, but this, this worked just fine for now.

Over the weeks they’d be so comfortable with each other there was no need to leave after they were finished. Mikasa would let Eren sleep in, leaving coffee and breakfast for him when she left for work, Eren would wake himself up to make sure he could make her coffee the way she liked it when she was at his place. She’d call him on his breaks sometimes when she couldn’t sleep, and he’d meet her for lunch, showing her all the good places to eat.

Mikasa was really incredible. She was gorgeous and had a body unlike Eren had ever seen before and God, did she know how to use it. She was also one of the kindest people he knew. She’d tell him about some of her cases when they were laying in bed, and the way she talked about this kids. She had the biggest heart and did everything she could to help. She would say they got along so well because they made a living out of helping people and dealing with shitty people, mostly at the same time. She’d always laugh when Eren would add that the sex wasn’t half bad either.

So really it wasn’t too surprising when Eren got a text from her asking him to come over. It was a little earlier than usual since she never wanted to wake him when he worked the previous night but he was already up and dressed for work. It didn’t bother him at all to walk over and push open her door.

“Hey, Mik,” he said, shutting the door behind him. He was gonna ask what was up but he stopped. She was leaning over her the island in her kitchen, eyes red and swollen.

Eren’s heart sank. Something was wrong. “What is it?” he asked a little more carefully, walking in so he was standing across from her. His heart broke when she looked up at him, looking so lost and so sad. It really could be anything; bad news at work, getting shit on by someone, illness, or…it could be him.

He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. “You wanna talk about it?”

She bit down on her lip. “I didn’t want it to be like this.”

His stomach turned. Okay, it was about him. “C’mon, you can tell me anything.”

Mikasa hesitated but she didn’t look away from him. “I’m pregnant.”

The words could only make him stare, probably a little slack jawed. He knew far better to ask if it was his, mainly because it was. While their relationship if anything would be open, he knew there was no one else but him. He also knew better to ask how this could happen because condoms break nor were they one hundred percent reliable. He wasn’t sure what to say at all but he knew she was waiting for him to say something, say anything.

“Um, okay,” he said, trying to keep his tone even and calm so she didn’t think he was mad, which he wasn’t; just a bit in shock. “Have you thought about what you wanna do?”

Her lip trembled and he knew what was coming. He was around the counter in a moment, pulling her into his arms as the tears started to fall down her face.

“It’s okay,” Eren said, her head falling against his shoulder. “It’s gonna be okay. I’m behind you whatever you wanna do, okay?”

Mikasa looked up at him, her water eyes making her look so much younger than she was. “You’re not mad?”

“No,” he said. “How can I be mad? It’s not like you performed the Immaculate Conception on yourself. I was there, I have as much part in this as you do.”

She still looked upset, and rightfully so, but at least she didn’t look like she was gonna throw up anymore. Maybe he’d take care of that for the both of them. He wasn’t mad, he didn’t lie to her, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t feeling a strange sort of anxiety in the pit of his stomach. Scared, he was scared.

It was her choice, and Eren meant it when he said it. He wasn’t the one who had to carry around a small person for nine long months, so ultimately it was up to her. It was how he would feel in any case that terrified him. He knew nothing about raising a child. His mom died when he was young, and sure he liked his dad well enough but it’s not like he was ever father of the year. Mikasa was a social worker herself so she might consider adoption but that option made his stomach sink. How would he feel about having a child out there somewhere who looked like him or like Mikasa and never even knowing his or her name, what they liked to play, what their favorite food was. It was a strange feeling.

Which left ending it before it even really started. Him and Mikasa were still so young and they worked long hours; Eren worked third shift even. He made decent enough money to support a child, but how would they make it work? Were either of them even ready to take care of a little child that would depend on them for everything?  But at the same time, that was his child, it was their child. A child made up of bits of the both of them. It might have Mikasa’s eyes and his smile, or her delicate nose and his messy hair.

“Are you okay?” Mikasa asked, her forehead furrowed as she watched him.

“Yeah,” he said, shaking his head to get rid of his own thoughts. It wasn’t up to him. Eren reached down to slip his hand under her legs, hoisting her up into his arms and causing a surprised noise to fall from her lips. He walked the short distance to her couch, carefully sitting himself down and leaving Mikasa on his lap, her legs landing over his and onto the couch cushions.

“Do you know what you wanna do?” he tried to ask again now that she was a little calmer.

She nodded her head slowly. “Yeah, I think so.”

“I’m all ears. Literally, I used to get teased that I had big ears when I was a kid.”

“You do not have big ears,” she rolled her eyes, but there was a small smile on her lips.

“Tell that to Jean Kirstein in the second grade. Okay, I’m sorry go ahead.”

“Oh, well…” It was clear she was nervous about giving her answer with the way she was suddenly avoiding eye contact and fiddling with the hem of her shirt. “I think I’d like to keep it, you know? I just work with kids who have nowhere to go because of circumstances outside their hands and I don’t want that. I don’t want my…my child to wonder why their mom didn’t want them.”

Eren opened his mouth to say okay, that was that then but she held up her hands quickly.

“But that doesn’t mean I want to force you into raising a kid with me. God, I know it’s gonna be crazy, and I mean all of this is already crazy.”

“Mikasa.”

“I just know what I want might not be what you want and that’s okay. You didn’t sign up for this when we met and I don’t wanna force you into it.”

“Mikasa, will you-”

“I deal with kids all the time, I’m sure I can manage th-” She cut off her words when he took a hold of her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

“Mikasa, I told you, I’m behind any choice you make and if you want to have and raise this kid than I’m here for you and for them. I don’t wanna just be that guy that sends you two some money every month. If I’m gonna be…” His voice choked in his throat. “If I’m gonna be a father, than I want to be a good one.”

She got this look on her face, and at first he thought she was gonna cry again but instead she smiled. The way she looked at him always made him feel warmth spread through his chest. Yeah, they’d be okay, they’d think of something.

“Oh Eren, you will be.”

When she leaned in to kiss him, he thought, and not for the first time, that this girl, this girl might something real special.


	41. Prisoner

_**Anonymous:**  IM SCREAMING. Can you do an AU where Historia is queen, Levi / Mikasa are her guards, and Eren is a prisoner? After him and Mikasa talk, she feels he was falsely imprisoned and helps him escape (which means her losing her job)_

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It was always grim in the dungeon. Mikasa supposed that’s part of what made it the dungeon. She never minded so much. It was quiet down in the lowest part of the castle, well, provided the prisoners behaved though with Levi as the head guard they normally were. The air was cool and the stone walls and floors damp, giving her an escape from the hot and dry air outside of the castle. She’d rather be down here out of sight than stuck in the ever present view of everyone in Queen Historia’s court. It was pretty easy to get positioned down in the dungeons since virtually no one in the guard actually wanted to be down here except her and Levi. Well, there were a few others who took shorter shifts but primarily it was just her and the older man who worked down here.

Her hand rested on her holstered side arm on her hip as she walked down the seemingly endless hall of cells. There were a few rows of them but nothing she couldn’t handle while Levi was off on lunch somewhere. The men in the cells learned very quickly what happened if they tried to cat call her or sweet talk her, so walking up and down the center of the rows never bothered her. It was calming, an easy and familiar gesture.

Of course, that was when the prisoners behaved.

Mikasa peered into one cell where a prisoner wasn’t being as quiet as the others. Kenny was the man’s name and that was all Mikasa really knew about him (save for the fact he was a hit man and killed many people when he was allowed to roam the streets). He liked to talk a lot and therefore him and Levi really didn’t get along. Tonight Kenny was hunched over in the corner, one of his hands frantically moving against the stone cracks in the corner before Mikasa heard a distinct snap and Kenny starting to curse up a storm.

“You’re gonna need something stronger than a spoon to get out of here,” Mikasa said.

Kenny looked back holding up his now broken spoon that he must’ve slipped into his clothes from dinner when someone wasn’t looking again. “Can’t blame a guy for trying,” he said.

Mikasa stuck her hand in the cell, palm wide open causing Kenny to grumble as he pushed himself up to his feet and shove the broken spoon in her hand. “Try again tomorrow,” she said, slipping the spoon into the pouch tied to her belt.

Kenny didn’t say anything, he just retreated back to his bed and Mikasa kept moving.

Most the prisoners were like him: older men who had been here most their lives for whatever crimes they had done. These weren’t petty thieves and conmen, these were people who had lied, stole, hurt, and killed in such a way that it was determined they couldn’t be among the public anymore. Some would be sentenced to death but some would be sentenced to live out their lives in the dungeons.

Mikasa turned the corner into the next row, the last one, the one for the people who were sentenced to be killed for the crimes they had done. There were only two people in the row at the moment, Queen Historia being a merciful ruler and using the death penalty only when she saw fit. One was the only female in the dungeon, a quiet woman who never spoke to any of the guards or prisoners.

The other was at the very end of the hall. Mikasa felt her breath catching in her throat as she made the long walk down to make sure the final prisoner was okay. She knew exactly where he’d be; laying on his back on his bed, looking up at the ceiling with blue eyes that must’ve held so much light once, and his dinner sitting untouched on the ground.

Eren Jaeger. The first time Mikasa saw him was the day they brought him in. She thought it had to be a mistake. He was no older than she was, his face still twisted in some kinda shock as the guards threw him into the cell on death row. He killed his parents is what they said. They found him above their broken and bleeding bodies, a knife in his hands.

Sure enough, Eren was laying on his bed, hands under his head as he stared up at the stone ceiling. A week. He had one week left.

“Aren’t you gonna eat?” Mikasa asked, stopping in front of his cell.

Eren glanced over at her, the emptiness in his eyes making her feel a sense of sorrow she didn’t have for everyone in here. “Have you tried eating that shit?”

A smile twitched at her lips. “I can’t say that I have.”

“Try and get me to eat it after you’ve tried it then. I may be dying but I’m not dead yet, and I still have taste buds.”

It was stupid. Mikasa knew it was stupid. She couldn’t actually befriend a prisoner. She was trained to never sympathize with the prisoners. They’d lie, manipulate, try and talk their way into what they wanted but the people who told her that, they didn’t hear the way Eren cried at night. They didn’t understand what she heard in his agony. She did though, she recognized it because she cried that same way for years after her own parents were murdered.

She was horrified when she heard of what he did. How could someone do that? She lived without hers for so long it was just sickening that someone who did have his parents that he would kill them in cold blood. Then she watched him, she listened to him, sometimes she felt like she was looking in the mirror. His pain, his loss was too real.

For the first time in her years working in the dungeon she wondered if he was sentenced wrongly.

“Well, lucky for you, I don’t eat too much.” Mikasa reached into the bigger bag that hung off her shoulder and pulled out half her sandwich she didn’t finish from lunch. She knew he wouldn’t eat his food, he never did. He must be starving. “It’s not much but it’s probably better than whatever they feed you.”

Eren sat up on his bed, a confused look on his face.

“It’s not poisoned I promise,” she said, sticking her hand through the bars.

Very carefully he walked forward, hesitating before he took the sandwich from her. “Thank you, Mikasa.”

It shouldn’t have surprised her that he knew her name, and it sure shouldn’t have brought a smile to her lips but for the first time since Eren was brought here she saw a little bit of light in his eyes again. She wanted to see more of it.

It kinda became their thing. Every day at lunch (specifically when Levi was at lunch) Mikasa would sneak some kinda food from her own lunch to Eren. Over the course of the week Eren went from listlessly laying in bed, to sitting up waiting for her, to waiting at the bars when he saw her coming. Every time she saw his warm smile, his bright blue eyes Mikasa was conflicted on whether to smile back or cry. By the end of the week, he only had four days left till his execution.

“Did you make this?” Eren asked, holding up his half of her sandwich she brought him. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor across from her, only the bars between them.

Mikasa shifted slightly on the cold stone ground, a smile pulling at her lips. He asked her that every day. “No, today I hired the elves to do it for me.”

Eren snorted. “I’d make a short joke about the esteemed head guard but I’m pretty sure the outcome wouldn’t be worth it. Is there a torture chamber here? He seems like the kinda guy who’d have one.”

“I can’t say I’ve ever seen one.”

Eren waved his finger at her as he took a bite from his sandwich. “You wouldn’t unless he wanted to torture you.”

She laughed, even if she tried not to, it was almost impossible not to laugh around Eren sometimes. She had no idea how he could be so upbeat these past few days as his death got closer and closer to him, but she was glad to see it. Maybe she was helping him enjoy his last days in a way that no one else seemed to care to do. Well, that could be because he was labeled as a murderer. The more and more Mikasa spent time with him though she just…she just couldn’t imagine him hurting a fly let alone his own parents. Maybe that’s just how delusional he was; maybe he seemed perfectly normal but was capable of being a monster.

Her stomach turned at the thought. It didn’t make sense to her. He was so kind, so humble, so genuine. There was something that wasn’t right here.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Eren said snapping her out of her thoughts. “I just wasn’t sure if it was appropriate of me or not.”

“Oh, go ahead,” Mikasa said gesturing for him to continue. It was probably wrong of her to converse with him like this but talking to him, being around him it just felt so natural. She had been around the cruelest of the cruel people, the murderers, the rapists, and she knew what kinda aura they held themselves with. Eren didn’t even have a fraction of that.

“Are you and Levi related? You guys look so much alike.” He held his hands up. “I don’t mean it in a bad way of course, it’s just hard not to notice.”

“No, you’re right,” Mikasa said. “He’s my cousin. He actually got me the job here. He said he’d rather me be here where he could watch over me than alone in the city somewhere.”

Eren’s forehead furrowed. “You live alone?”

She hesitated. She purposely avoided talking about herself in that regard over the past week afraid of what it would make him feel to know her own parents were killed. “Ah, yeah,” she said. “My parents were killed when I was young. I lived with Levi ever since, but he couldn’t be around as much when he took the job here.”

Eren froze behind the bars. He was quiet, so quiet Mikasa instantly regretted saying those words. He dropped the rest of his food back on the napkin Mikasa had given him, his eyes dark when he looked back up to her. “Then why the hell are you spending so much time with me. I willingly killed my own parents, you know. I had them with me my whole life and I killed them in our home, the one I grew up in.”

There was something in the tone of his voice that broke Mikasa’s heart. It wasn’t the confession of a man convicted of murder; there was so much hurt in it, so much scorn, so much loathing but none of it directed at his parents. She knew the tone all too well. It was directed at an outside force that couldn’t be controlled, something that took his parents away from him, like it did to her.

“Did you?” Mikasa breathed.

Eren blinked, the darkness in his face lightening up a little. “Did I what?”

“Did you kill your parents?”

He was quiet again but this time it seemed to be more out of disbelief than anything. “You’re the first person who ever asked me that. None…none of the officers, no one in the trial, no one asked me if I actually did it.” Eren leaned forward, his forehead almost touching the bars as he met her eyes. “I didn’t kill my parents, Mikasa. I came home and they were already dead. I was in such disbelief that I fell to the floor next to them, I grabbed at them hoping I was seeing things that they weren’t really dead, I picked up the knife without even thinking. I…” His voice choked off. “Everything was put against me, I never even had a chance to defend myself.”

Eren leaned back with a sigh. “Not that I blame them, I basically incriminated myself while trying to deal with the shock and utter agony of seeing my parents like that. Even…even the fact I’m gonna die in a few days can’t compare with the image of seeing my mom and dad like that. At least once I’m gone I won’t have to see it every time I close my eyes.”

Mikasa knew, she knew how that felt. She might’ve been nine years old when it happened but she never stopping seeing the horrible images of her own mother and father being struck down in cold blood in front of her. It never went away, and it never stopped hurting. “I believe you.”

Eren looked like he was in even more disbelief than before. “You what?” His voice came out in a hoarse whisper.

“I believe you and I’m getting you out of here.” The words even surprised her but once she said them the knots in her stomach eased up. This was wrong. He was innocent, she knew it; maybe she didn’t have the proof and maybe she shouldn’t believe anything he said but she did and she knew this was the right thing to do. Mikasa stood up to her feet. She didn’t know how but she was getting him out of here.

“Mikasa, no,” Eren said, quickly following her to his feet. “The court ruled it, they aren’t gonna give me another trial with no evidence proving against me.”

“I never said anything about a court,” she said, adjusting her uniform and shoving her food back in her bag.

“Absolutely not.” Eren’s voice was so firm it caught her off guard. He wrapped his hands around the bars pulling himself as close to her as he could. “If they caught you then we’d both be executed. I can’t let that happen, not to the only one whose treated like a human being since this whole thing happened.”

He was right; she’d be killed for aiding the escape of a convicted criminal. She shouldn’t risk this for a complete stranger but all she could think about was his bright eyes, the smile that came to his lips despite the situation he was put in, that he was willing to die an innocent man than risk her life. It was worth it.

“I’ll be fine,” she said, turning to leave before Levi got back. “Just be ready when I say so.”

Eren didn’t say anything causing Mikasa to glance behind at him. He had this look on his face, one that was a mix of shock and adoration, like he never knew anyone who would risk something like this for him.

“I won’t let an innocent man die in here,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I won’t let it happen to you.”

He was still staring after her even as she walked back down the hall. She hurried back into the main area of the dungeon trying to calm her racing heart, trying to ignore the heat that rose to her cheeks from Eren looking at her like that. She was about to take a deep breath to calm herself down when a hand reached out and grabbed her, pulling her forcefully against one of the wet, stone walls.

“Planning on a revolt, kid?”

Mikasa blinked at Levi, who had her arm in a hard grip, holding her to the wall. His voice was hushed but it was as gruff as it always was, his dark eyes watching her.

“What makes you say that?” she mumbled, already knowing that was giving her away. Levi always knew when she lied.

“Huh, I wonder. It couldn’t possibly be because I overheard you and that brat talking.”

Desperation filled the pit of her stomach. “He’s innocent, Levi, we can’t just let him die like that. He deserves a life, the one his parents would’ve wanted for him not taking the fall for their murders just because no one could be bothered to look further into the case.”

Levi took a small step back from her, crossing his arms against his chest. “Oh, and did he tell you he’s innocent?”

“Yes,” Mikasa said firmly though she shifted her weight under Levi’s hard gaze.

“Everyone is innocent in prison, haven’t you learned that by now, kid?”

She bit down on her lip. Levi worked here longer than her she knew that but she also trusted her gut and her gut told her to trust Eren. “I believe him.”

Levi watched her, his gaze unwavering. “If one of my prisoners is missing in the morning then I better not hear about it until the morning.”

Mikasa blinked at him. Was he actually telling her was okay?

“Don’t give me that look,” he grunted. “You don’t trust anyone. If you trust this kid, who am I to say you’re wrong but if you get caught I’m not bailing your ass outta anything.”

A smile pulled at Mikasa’s lips as she watched Levi turn and walk away like he had never been talking to her at all.

She waited until it was deep into the night, until the other prisoners would be asleep, until the night guard was asleep as well. Mikasa was good at being quiet; it came along with her training as a guard. She was careful to make sure no one saw her as she walked the dungeon, her hood covering her face just in case one of them did wake up. All the torches were out save for the one by Reiner, the guard who was currently snoring, which made it even easier for Mikasa to slip by undetected.

Mikasa was most worried about the woman in Eren’s row who would be able to see the entire escape process. Mikasa turned the corner into death row and carefully glanced into the woman’s cell.  She was sound asleep, her blanket nearly covering her whole head, only strands of brown hair sticking out. Mikasa nearly sighed in relief before walking the short distance to Eren’s cell.

This was crazy, this was absolutely crazy. It was all she could think of all day when she was planning out how to get him out of here. The only feeling that counteracted it was the thought of coming to the dungeon and seeing Eren’s cell empty, knowing he had been killed.

He was laying in his bed, probably because he didn’t take her seriously but that was okay, she’d show him. She pulled out a single key she brought with her and unlocked the lock on the cell door. It creaked a little bit but not enough over the natural noises of the dungeon (and Reiner snored loud).

It did wake Eren up though; he shot up in his bed, looking at Mikasa with wide eyes.

She gestured with her head pulling the bars open just enough for him to slip by. He looked like he was gonna say something but Mikasa held her finger to her lips hoping he’d keep quiet and not get them all killed.

Eren slid off his bed and walked out of the cell without a word, Mikasa closing it and locking it behind her. She paused for a moment, listening to see if anyone stirred even though she could feel Eren’s gaze on her. She grabbed onto his arm and started to pull him back into the dungeon and to the only way that would let them leave safely; the back exit.

Really it was a long tunnel that led out into the woods behind the castle. It was made in case of a prison break so that way prisoners who thought they were escaping were really only walking into a locked gate, or into more guards who would subdue them. Luckily, Levi left the key for the tunnel on his dresser when he went to bed. If Mikasa took Eren up the main entrance they’d be swarmed in an instant, since the moment she decided she was gonna rescue him, she knew this was it.

Eren followed behind her in the pitch black tunnel but she could still hear his footsteps, his breathing.  She wasn’t sure how far this tunnel went but she knew once they got close to the gate the moonlight should shine through guiding their way, then she’d have to say goodbye.

“Please don’t tell me there’s a dragon in here,” Eren said in a hushed voice that almost seemed too loud against the quiet air.

“You read too many fairy tales,” she answered but she couldn’t stop the smile pulling at her lips.

“Mikasa?”

“Yes?”

“Why do you believe me? Why would you risk your life for me? Aside from knowing each other for maybe a week, you know nothing about me. I could go out and kill more people for all you know.”

It wasn’t like it never crossed her mind, but there was something about him, something she couldn’t quite explain. She just trusted him. Levi was right, she never trusted anyone, not after her parents died but she trusted Eren.

“I don’t know why, but I feel like if it was me who was in danger you’d save me too.”

He was quiet after that. It was incredibly quiet until the tunnel started to get lighter, the air became fresher. She heard him take a deep breath behind her, the first time he breathed fresh air since they shoved him in the dungeon.

The gate was just a head, and Mikasa practically ran to it, unlocking it and swinging it open. There were guards in the forest but not nearly as much as there would be from the other entrance. She looked around the dark, wooded area before turning to face Eren.

She opened her mouth to speak but her breath caught in her throat when she saw him standing there. He was looking all around him, his eyes glistening in the moonlight like he couldn’t believe this was happening to him. He had his life taken away, and now he was getting it back. It wouldn’t be the same as it was before, but he had a chance to mourn the death of his parents now, a chance to start over.

“Go,” she said, grabbing a hold of his arm and tugging him towards the forest. “Be careful of the guards, and go.”

“Wait,” he said stopping in front of her. “Aren’t you coming? How’ll I ever thank you if you don’t come with me?”

Mikasa felt her voice choke in her throat. A part of her wanted to say yes, to see the world through his beautiful eyes, to have someone she wanted to be around, someone she wanted to see. She knew better though. “I can’t. A prisoner and a guard vanishing on the same night? It’s too incriminating. They’ll already be looking for you.”

Eren hesitated, like he didn’t want to go without her. He had to though, he had to leave now.

“Eren, go,” she urged. “Please, go and never come back. They’ll hunt for you, you can’t be here.”

Instead of running like she wanted him to, he took a step forward. He reached a hand up to her face, and leaned in until his lips were against her cheek. His breath was so warm on her skin it gave her goosebumps, chills down her spine.

“I promise, Mikasa, I’ll find a way to come back.” He reached his other hand up to her face, holding her face so she’d meet his eyes. “I’ll find away to thank you for what you’ve done for me. I promise.”

She nodded and he turned away, disappearing into the woods. Suddenly the night seemed less bright, less warm. It was like a piece of her she never even knew was missing, was gone when he was out of her sight. A part of her hoped he never saw him again, that he’d never come back and that he’d stay safe in his new world.

A much larger part of her hoped she’d see his smile again.


	42. Roller Coaster

_**Anonymous:**  Do you think you could do a short little story here for me of some eremika fluff? <3_

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Mikasa tried to get Eren to slow down a little bit, that being dragged through the early crowds of the amusement park wasn’t exactly the easiest way to get around but she couldn’t make the words come to her mouth. Not when he’d look behind as he ran, his hand holding hers tightly and that boyish grin on his lips, telling her they were almost there.

Eren loved amusement parks; Mikasa knew that even before she found herself practically running to keep up with him in one. He loved the food, the atmosphere, the games but most of all he loved the rides but not the Carousel or Ferris Wheel. No, Eren loved the high drops, the adrenaline; he loved the roller coasters. The thought alone made Mikasa’s mouth grow dry which only got worse when Eren skidded to a stop right in front of the ride he was bringing her too.

“There,” he grinned, looking up at the massive, metal roller coaster. “What do you think?”

Mikasa was too busy staring up at how tall that first drop was that she nearly didn’t answer. Eren nudged her with his elbow making her jump a bit. “Oh yeah,” she said quickly, looking over to give him a smile. “It looks…tall.”

Eren didn’t seem to mind; he grabbed a hold of her hand again and started to bring her to the entrance. “We need to get in line first thing or we’ll be waiting all day to get on.”

“We wouldn’t want that,” Mikasa tried to agree but as she watched Eren bring her to the line that was already forming to get on the ride all she could think about was how could she possibly tell him now that she was terrified of roller coasters?

She knew this was her fault. She should’ve told him when he asked her to come with him to the amusement park. Mikasa knew how much he loved the high adrenaline rides and she knew he’d want to go on them. She should’ve told him that just the thought of riding them was enough to make her stomach jump into her throat let alone actually being on one. He wouldn’t have cared, she knew he wouldn’t but she couldn’t bring herself to do it when she saw how happy he was when she said she’d go. Even now, his eyes were so bright as he nearly bounced next to her waiting in line; she couldn’t possibly let him down like that.

Though the line was moving now and Mikasa thought she was gonna pass out.

“Hey,” he said, causing her to look away from watching just how close they were to the attendants loading people onto the brightly colored carts. His forehead was furrowed as he watched her; she supposed she shouldn’t be surprised she couldn’t hide things from him. “Is something wrong?”

This was her chance, she could tell him and they could get outta line and do something different. Despite her mind and stomach practically screaming at her to do so, Mikasa shook her head instead. “Just a little bit tired, that’s all.”

Eren’s face relaxed again and he reached over to grab ahold of her waist, tugging her into him. “Well, you’ll be awake real soon.”

“I don’t doubt it,” she mumbled, leaning her head against his shoulder, fingers curling lightly into his shirt. She hoped he couldn’t hear how hard her heart was pounding in her chest. Maybe this would be good. She’d do something new, overcome some fears.

The line moved again and into the final stretch of the line area; they’d be on the next run of the ride.

Mikasa swallowed hard. That was if she didn’t die first.

Eren was back to bouncing with excitement next to her, clearly excited to take her on this ride for the first time but Mikasa couldn’t ignore the screams from the people on the ride, the way the building shook when the carts flew over the rails near the building. She liked the smaller roller coasters; maybe this would be the same just a little bit longer and taller?

Armin was right; she should’ve just told Eren at the beginning but she didn’t and now she had to live with that choice she made because the attendant was ushering them into a two seated cart.

Mikasa tried to control her breathing and to control her panic. The track was right in front of her, inching up into the sky, very  _high_ into the sky.

“Hey, Mika, your seatbelt.” Eren’s voice made her jump as she looked over to him. He was holding up the black belt for her.

“Oh, yeah, of course.” She buckled herself in with shaky hands as Eren pulled the metal bar tightly down against them. Mikasa grabbed a hold of the bar, her knuckles nearly white as she held it tightly. The attendant came by to check the bars and the seat belts, some kinda safety recording being played over the speakers. Mikasa wasn’t paying attention though; she stared up at the tracks in what she could only explain as pure horror. What was she doing?

The cart started to move and the sudden motion made Mikasa jump. They were slowly heading towards that huge hill in front of her. She was going to die.

There was a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Mikasa, are you okay?”

She carefully glanced over at Eren, afraid to look away from the tracks should they suddenly drop. He had that worried look on his face again as he watched her and she knew she made a mistake in not telling him. “I’m terrified of roller coasters.” Her voice was barely above a whisper but she knew he heard her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” his voice was still soft, not mad. “I would’ve never made you come it I knew.”

“I wanted to.” She swallowed hard as the carts started to head up the hill to the first and highest fall.

“That’s sweet of you, but I don’t want you to do things you don’t like for me.” Eren gave her a reassuring smile before put his arm around her shoulder nudging him into him. “Just close your eyes, okay? It won’t take too long to be over.”

Mikasa nodded and leaned over to bury her face in his shoulder, clenching her eyes closed. She felt his hand hold onto her head and the other on her back, keeping her close to him. She already felt a little bit better with his warm presence and familiar scent filling her senses as opposed to how high they were climbing.

“We’re about to go over the first drop, okay?” his voice was calm near her head but before she could respond screams went up all around her.

Mikasa curled her hands tighter against him as she felt like she was falling free through the air. It took her breath away at the sudden drop but it wasn’t nearly as bad as she thought it would be. Granted, that was probably because she always felt safe when Eren had his arms around her.

You know, maybe this wasn’t so bad after all.


	43. Royals

_**Anonymous:**  when i saw @saythanksplease [eremika modern royal au art](http://saythanksplease.tumblr.com/post/127539520095/eremika-modern-royal-au-and-obviously-referenced#notes) I immediately thought of you! can you please please please please please please please please please make a fic out of it? pretty pretty please #fortheloveofEremika_

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 " _I_ _n other news, Eren Jaeger, son of Duke Grisha Jaeger and Duchess Carla Jaeger, has been rumored to be engaged to Mikasa Ackerman, his college sweetheart. It’s quite the bit of news considering by all accounts everyone thought he was going to marry Historia Reiss, the only daughter and only heir to Duke Rod Reiss. It seemed to be a perfect match, both of them being from long lines of royal families where as Miss Ackerman comes from a family line that used to work alongside the royal families, until they eventually spilt leaving the family name in obscurity. It’s only a rumor as of right now and we’ll keep you updated if any formal news comes in but if the news is true, one can only think of what drama it might stir up in the lives of royalty. Back to you…”_

“Eren, dear.”

Eren looked up from the book he had in his lap, just vaguely listening to the reporter drone on about his personal life; something he was at least used to. “Yeah, Grandma?”

His father’s mother was sitting closer to the TV, looking back at Eren with a confused look on her face. “Why aren’t you marrying the Reiss girl? She’s very pretty and so polite. I thought you two got along very well at every event.”

Eren closed his book. It wasn’t like he didn’t expect it; in fact almost all the people who knew he really was gonna marry Mikasa asked the same question. It’s not like they didn’t like her, it was impossible not to, well, at least Eren thought so but him and Historia had practically been arraigned to get married since they were kids. The fact he was marrying someone else came as quite a ripple in the community.

“Well, there’re a few reasons for that, Grandma,” he said, leaning back against the ornate couch in the upstairs living room. “One being while I consider her a very good friend, I’m not in love with Historia, two being she’s a lesbian.”

Grandma Jaeger’s face didn’t betray any sort of surprise or emotion. “Oh, well, that settles that then.”

He nearly snorted in laughter as his grandma turned back to the TV to finish watching the news. “Is that okay with you? Passing down the estate to me and Mikasa?”

“Don’t get me wrong, Eren,” Duchess Amalie Jaeger waved him off, her eyes not looking away from the TV. “I like Mikasa fine. She’s the only one who could ever keep you in line.”

“Thanks, Grandma.”

“It’s not my fault you’ve always been a handful. It’s good to marry a woman who can handle you.”

“Love you too,” Eren snorted, and he heard a distinct laugh from his grandma.

“Sir, there’s someone here to see you.”

Eren turned his head towards the doorway to see one of the attendants standing there. “Alright, thanks.” He placed his book on the side table before standing to his feet. “Don’t watch too much TV, Grandma, or Dad might come up and turn it off.”

“I gave birth to your father, he has no right to turn off this TV.”

Eren snorted as he turned to leave the room, following after the attendant. That sounded like his grandmother alright; no one ruled over her. She had that in common with his mom, who had that in common with Mikasa. Who thought she didn’t fit into his family perfectly? He walked down one of the many halls, this one leading down to the grand staircase that would lead him right to the entrance hall of the house. Granted he didn’t need to stand on the top of the steps to know it was Mikasa who was waiting down there for him.

She stood alone in the entrance hall, her blue summer dress and white cardigan blending in naturally with the décor of the hall, the sunlight shining in from all the windows both around her and above her made her look even more stunning.

“Would you like me to announce you, Sir?” the attendant asked as he came to a stop at the top of the stairs.

“Nah, that’s fine.”

The attendant nodded and stayed where he was, probably under some order from Eren’s mom or something.

Eren ran his hand down the smooth railing as he walked down the steps. “You know,” he said loud enough that he knew she’d hear him. “I used to slide down this railing when I was little.”

Mikasa turned to him, that smile that always took his breath away on her lips. “And how many times did you fall off before getting caught?”

“Pretty sure I still have bruises from it.” He took the last step and he was standing in front of her. “Hello,” he said as he reached out to take both her hands in his.

“Hello,” she breathed, probably because she saw him leaning in to kiss her.

This was it. This was the woman he was gonna marry, and not just figuratively; she said yes, she was gonna be his wife. It was five years ago that he saw her in the university café, reading a book by herself, and God, did he never regret sitting down at her table, asking her how she liked her book.

“Eren,” she laughed when he went in to kiss her again.

He didn’t actually get to because the distinct noise of his mother clearing her throat made him look up. “Really, Mom, you couldn’t wait like five more seconds.”

“Eren,” Carla said as she started walk forward from the receiving room, a knowing smile on her lips. “If I didn’t, we would’ve been standing there for much longer than five seconds.”

The “we” caught Eren’s attention. He kept Mikasa’s hands in his but he looked up to the doorway seeing his father and Levi Ackerman, the man who Mikasa’s guardian, her older brother, walk into the entrance hall with them.

“Ah, Son,” Grisha said walking up to stand next to his wife. “Will you and Mikasa be joining us for lunch? We’re gonna start working on getting the wedding arraignments set.”

Eren looked down to Mikasa, but he didn’t even need to ask. He saw the look in her eyes, the “please if I have to listen to them talk for hours I may die” look. “That’s okay, Dad, I think I’m gonna take Mikasa out around the estate. It’s a nice day out.”

“Alright,” Carla said, reaching over to straighten Grisha’s lapels. “Just don’t be gone too long and don’t walk through the flower beds. I do not want to listen to Petra bite my head off about it again.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay, Mom,” Eren said.

“Enjoy your walk, sweetheart,” she said in a tone that was clear it was completely directed at Mikasa and not as much him. “Come along, Grisha, Levi, lunch should be ready in the dining room,” Carla said as she started to lead them off into another section of the large house. Grisha followed after Carla, as did Levi though not without giving a narrowed gaze to Eren.

He nodded back at the man, but once they were out of earshot Eren looked to Mikasa. “So you ever gonna tell me how much your brother hates me?”

Mikasa laughed, pulling on his hands so she was leading him backwards towards the two large doors at the entrance of the manor. “He doesn’t hate you, Eren.”

The attendants at the door swung them both open, the warm summer air hitting them instantly. Mikasa dropped one of his hands, turning to walk by his side as he led her out of the house, and onto the path that would lead them towards the back of the estate and the gardens.

“He could’ve fooled me. I don’t think he’s ever even given me a look that wasn’t intimidating in all the five years we’ve been together.”

“It’s not you,” Mikasa said, leaning her body into his as they walked along the stone path, the gardens in the near distance. “My family has a tricky relationship to this life, and he’s unsure how he feels about me jumping back into it.”

“Or he’s unsure if he wants to murder me in my sleep or when I’m awake.”

She laughed, hitting him lightly on the arm. “If he wanted you dead, you’d already be dead.”

“That’s strangely reassuring.”

Mikasa leaned her head against Eren’s shoulder, her warm presence making everything outside seem even brighter. “What’s going on in the yard?”

“Hmm?” Eren followed Mikasa’s gaze only to see a variety of tables and chairs set out near the gazebo in the center of the yard, the one near the pond at the edge of the gardens. “I have no idea honestly, probably some socialite party or something my parents are hosting. It’s been…what? Two days since the last one, they’re about due.”

Some workers were setting up a large pavilion like tent towards the other end of the yard, probably to shield the food for whatever this was for.

“You know what that means don’t you?” Eren said, looking down at her.

“What?”

“That it’s the first time you’ll get announced into the family,” he said, nudging her with his elbow. “Everyone is gonna wanna talk to you and pretend to be interested.”

“Are you saying I’m boring?” Mikasa arched an eyebrow at him, but the smile on her lips gave her away.

“Of course not, but the people who will try and talk to you sure as hell are.”

She laughed and it was like music to his ears. “Well, lucky for me I’ll have the arm of someone who knows exactly how to get away from these things with such ease.”

“I’ve been practicing since I could walk.” Eren tilted his head down to press a kiss to her lips. “Are you sure you wanna marry into all this? You’re gonna have to learn the difference between a whole bunch of silverware and plates, you know.” He could hear the nearby fountains sprouting water, the wind rustling the trees and plants all around them as they stepped into main entrance of the gardens.

“Oh yeah, that’s a pretty big deal breaker. You know how I feel about silverware.”

“It always is,” he snorted.

“Knock it off,” she said, pushing him with her shoulder. “I love you, every aspect of you, including this.” She gestured over the estate with her hand. “I want to marry you because I want to be with you and that’s all that matters to me.”

She stood up on her toes to give him what she thought would be a quick kiss but Eren caught her waist with his hands, pulling her close to him as he kissed her back. His heart practically skipped when he felt her sigh against his lips, felt the way her body leaned right into his touch.

Not every family he knew would be as accepting as his parents were of him marrying someone who came from practically nothing, but it never mattered to him, and it never mattered to his parents. That wasn’t to say it was always gonna be easy with the way his life was always in the public eye, and the endless events and parties and the nonstop social aspect of his family but as Mikasa pulled away from their kiss, her dark eyes bright as she looked at him, Eren couldn’t imagine doing any of it without her by his side.


	44. Rumors

_**Anonymous:**  ok but modern au where a teenager Eren gets jealous of Mikasa and her (suspected) new boo._

* * *

 

“Hey, did you hear? Mikasa got a boyfriend.”

Eren never thought one phrase could ever stop him dead in his tracks but the loud girls chatting near his locker did it. He looked up from searching for his bagged lunch to see two girls probably in his grade gossiping fiercely.

“Mikasa Ackerman?” The other one gasped.

“Yeah! Can you believe it?”

What? That…that didn’t make any sense. Mikasa wouldn’t…she’d tell him something like that… Eren was having a hard time focusing on his confusion though; it was the horrible sinking feeling in his stomach that refused to leave his mind. He swallowed thickly.

“Who is it? Do you know? I bet it was Eren Jaeger, huh, they were always together anyway.”

“No, moron, they are just friends, everyone knows that. I’m not sure who it was though, I just heard that-”

Eren slammed his locker shut making the two girls jump. They quickly ran away when they saw who was glaring at them.

What the hell was that about? He shoved his backpack onto his back and started to storm down to doors leading to the outside benches where he always ate lunch with Armin and….Mikasa. Well, who the hell knew now that she had some stupid boyfriend who probably didn’t deserve anywhere near the likes of her. He shoved the doors open probably a little too hard, scaring a freshman who was trying to come inside. Who the hell could it be? Those dumb girls were right Mikasa was always with him and Armin and he sure as hell knew Armin wasn’t dating her and neither was…himself.

Eren sneered as he looked for Armin at one of the tables. This was stupid. Mikasa could do whatever she wanted; they were Juniors in high school for God’s sake. Let her date who she wanted. Well, that’s what he wanted to think, but he couldn’t get the sinking feeling out of the pit of his stomach, and the anger that seemed unlimited when he tried to picture Mikasa hanging out with another guy.

Armin was sitting on a bench off to the side of the outside area, a book in front of him as he ate his sandwich; Mikasa was nowhere to be found. Eren scoffed as he made his way over, nearly plowing down a sophomore as he did. He threw his backpack on the ground and slammed his lunch on the table as he sat down.

Armin glanced up from his book, his face as neutral as ever. “What’s your problem?”

“Nothing,” Eren snapped, pulling his food out of the bag though the last thing he felt like doing was eating. “Where’s Mikasa.”

Armin shrugged. “I don’t know, I haven’t seen her.”

Eren grunted, unwrapping his sandwich with more force than was needed. “Probably with her new boyfriend then, huh.”

Armin arched an eyebrow at him. “Her what?”

“Oh so she didn’t tell you either.”

“No she didn’t, so where did you hear it?”

Eren took a large bite into his lunch and swallowed. “Why does that matter? What I want to know is why she didn’t tell us. We’re her best friends don’t you think it’s kinda important to let us know when she’s abandoning us for God knows who.”

Armin put his sandwich down on his bag. “Don’t you think you’re getting a little heated over nothing? Mikasa’s sixteen, and she’s very pretty. Be lucky she’s never dated anyone before now.”

“Why don’t you care?” Eren growled throwing his sandwich on the table. “She’s off dating some guy we probably don’t even know!”

“Eren, I think you should ask yourself why you care so much.”

He hesitated at Armin’s words. Why was he so angry? Should he be happy his best friend found someone to be with? “Well…I…don’t want to see her get hurt. She’s never shown interest in anyone before. Who knows what this guy’s said to her to make date him.” His stomach dropped as a thought crossed his mind. “It better not be goddamn Kirstein.”

“Why would it matter if she was happy? Don’t you want Mikasa to be happy?”

Eren hit his hand against the table. “Of course I want her to be happy! I just want her to be happy with me!”

It took him a moment to realize the implications of what he just confessed.

Armin had a smile tugging at his lips. “So you aren’t mad she’s dating some guy, you’re jealous because she not with you.”

“No! That’s not what I…she’s not…I’m not…she’s…she’s my best friend…how could I…” Eren sputtered but he couldn’t actually find a good reason to disprove what Armin was saying. Mikasa was always with him, they’d been friends since they were nine years old. The thought of her being with some other guy wasn’t just nauseating because he wanted to keep her safe, he just wanted her.

Armin closed his book and started to pack up his leftover lunch. “You’re wrong, you know. Mikasa did show interest in someone, but you were always too blind to see it was you.” He stood up as Eren felt himself still staring dumbfounded at his best friend. “I suggest you work it out for yourself before someone actually does come and ask her out and she says yes.”

“But…but,” Eren said turning to follow Armin as he walked away. “She already has a boyfriend.”

Armin chuckled, looking back to Eren with an amused glint in Armin’s eyes. “Do you always believe everything you hear? She’s at track practice for the meet this weekend. Go see for yourself.”

Eren forgot his lunch on the table as he took off to the track field across the school. He wasn’t sure what he was doing, or why it even mattered to him, but Armin was right. Eren didn’t want her to be with someone else; he wanted her to be with him. What would he do without her in his life? He’d be completely lost. No one else could ever understand her like he did; no one else would be able to take care of her like he could. He couldn’t lose her, not to anyone. It couldn’t be too late.

The girl’s track team was having an extra practice; he could see Mikasa’s teammates already taking laps around. She was standing off to the side, checking her phone as she drank down some water. Eren slowed down as he turned into the bleachers, ready to wait until the end of practice, but Mikasa saw him first.

The smile on her face as she waved to him was enough to make him forget all the anger he was feeling before.

“Hey,” she said, leaning over the divider of the field and the bleachers where Eren was sitting. “What are you doing here?”

“Nothing, just was…bored. Thought I’d come watch your practice.”

Mikasa arched an eyebrow at him. “You look red, did you run here or something?”

Eren felt his face get hotter. “Uh, no, just a, you know, warm day out.”

She rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. How come he never noticed how pretty her smile was before? “Well, okay, I should go back, but we can walk back after practice if you want.”

“Yeah, yeah that’s fine,” he said.

She gave him a wave before turning back to the track.

“Hey, Mikasa!” Eren spit out, almost immediately regretting it.

“Yeah?” She turned to face him again.

“You aren’t, uh, seeing anyone are you?”

Mikasa looked like she wasn’t sure if she should be suspicious or to burst out laughing. “Don’t you think I would have told you or Armin if I did?”

“Ah, yeah, yeah of course.” He reached up to scratch the back of his head, unsure what he should say now.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, of course. Never been better.”

Mikasa didn’t look like she bought it but her coach called her away before she could question him again.

As the sinking feeling in his stomach finally lifted and slowly was replaced by a warmer feeling that couldn’t help but make him smile, he realized he was telling her the truth. He wasn’t sure whether to punch or thank the person who started that bit of gossip.


	45. Shut Up and Dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The features Connie/Sasha as another pairing

_**shingekinokelli said:** A thought popped into my head while driving: Eren and Mikasa dancing (choreographed!) either at their wedding or prom to Walk the Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance.” Would you consider writing a fic about this? I know you have lots of prompts, so no biggie if you can’t, of course :)_

* * *

Mikasa was happy for her friends, she really, truly was. She even couldn’t keep a smile off her face as she watched Connie and Sasha share their first dance from Mikasa’s spot at the wedding party table. They were happy and in love and now they’d get to share the rest of their lives together; it really was a beautiful day. Which is why Mikasa wished the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach would just go away already. Everyone else at the table was cheering, whistling or laughing and all she could do was just smile. She wanted to be more into everything that was going on around her but it was so hard when all she wanted to do was cry.

“What’s your problem?” Annie asked nearly making Mikasa jump out of her seat; she didn’t know the blonde sat down again.

“Nothing, just watching in amazement that one of them hasn’t tripped over each other yet,” Mikasa shrugged putting on her best smile for her fellow bridesmaid.

Annie gave her a look that told Mikasa she didn’t buy a single word of that. “Can we not dance around things for once and just tell me what’s the matter so we can get on with this?”

Mikasa sighed and glanced over her shoulder to the rest of the table. Sasha’s sister who was the maid of honor wasn’t sitting in her spot next to Mikasa, the bride and groom’s seats obviously empty but all the boys were still sitting down at the end of the table; Jean, Connie’s best man, Eren, then Armin.  They weren’t paying attention to them at all though.

She looked back over to Annie who was still waiting for an answer. Mikasa leaned her arm on the table, placing her chin in her hand. “I just always thought I’d be the first.”

“First what?”

“The first one married.” Okay, it felt a lot sillier saying it out loud but it was the truth. As honored and as happy as she was for Sasha to ask her to be in the wedding it had been one nonstop bout of jealousy.

“And you weren’t. What’s the big deal?” Annie asked, arching an eyebrow up at her.

“Because I want all of this.” Mikasa gestured to the banquet hall they were in, Connie and Sasha still dancing on the floor in front of them. “I’ve had my own wedding practically planned since I was a kid, but I seem to be the only one who wants it.”

“Mikasa, you do realized who your boyfriend is, don’t you? It took him months to even ask you out in the first place because he didn’t think you liked him, when you had been drooling over him for years before hand. Have you tried to talk to him about it?”

Mikasa decided it was better to just glance over at the many people in the large room still watching the bride and groom.

“I thought so. Just talk to him already so you can stop whining at your friend’s wedding.”

Mikasa knew Annie was right, even if Mikasa wasn’t about to say that anytime soon. She would’ve thought that after all these years Eren would pick up on things a little bit better but as much as he knew her inside and out and as much as she knew he loved her, there were some things he still didn’t get. She should just bring it up; they were here after all what better a time to bring up the subject then when surrounded by a beautiful wedding themselves.

Connie and Sasha kissed at the end of their dance and the room went up in a cheer. The DJ announced something about the rest of the night being a party or something, and with the newlyweds she didn’t doubt that at all. People started to stand up, most of them having enough alcohol already to really enjoy that dance floor.

How was she supposed to bring it up? She tried to be discreet about it before, but it never really seemed to work all that well. Should she just come out and say it? Was that too tacky? Her thoughts broke off when she felt someone lean over her from behind, face closer to hers. Mikasa really wouldn’t have needed to look; she’d know that presence anywhere.

“Can I help you?” she asked glancing over.

“I was sitting over there on the other side of the table and I thought I’d be bold and ask the prettiest girl here for a dance, but don’t tell Sasha I said that or she’ll probably throw her shoe at me.” Eren already had that big grin on his face, the one that was impossibly infectious.

“Okay,” she nodded, putting her hand in his as he helped her to his feet. She wasn’t much of a dancer herself, but Eren did look incredibly handsome in his tux.

He pulled her into him as the song was still a slow one, working up to the upbeat songs soon enough she would assume. He placed his hands on her lower back as she reached her arms up around his neck, her body matching his sways to the music. “Just like high school, hmm?” he said with a small roll of his eyes.

“Just like it, complete with Connie probably getting wasted and dancing on the punch table.”

“Oh God, we don’t ever need a repeat of that.”

Mikasa chuckled and let her head rest against his shoulder. It really was a beautiful wedding. Sasha looked stunning in her dress and the fact each bridesmaid had a different brightly colored dress, guys with matching vests and ties suited the couple’s personality perfectly. Mikasa and Eren were paired off in the party, and the whole time she just couldn’t stop thinking about them being the ones actually walking down the aisle together. She had to say something to him about it; she had to know if he was thinking the same things.

“So,” she started, her head still leaning against him.

“So…?” he echoed.

“What did you think of the wedding?” That was probably way too vague, but whatever, it was a start.

“It was real nice, very them. _Final Fantasy_ victory fanfare at the end of the ceremony was a nice touch,” Eren laughed. “Fit them both very well.”

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she glanced up at him. “Do you ever think about how it would be like?”

“How what would be like?”

Leave it to Eren to need to actually say it for him. “How our wedding would be?”

“Huh, I mean sometimes,” he shrugged. “But that’s still in the future.”

Mikasa lifted her head off his shoulder when she felt her stomach sink. “Eren, we’ve been together for nine years. That’s longer than most people have been married, that’s longer than Connie and Sasha have even known each other.”

Eren’s smile faltered when he saw she was being serious with him. “Ah, yeah, I know that but that’s cause it was the right time for them. It’s different for everyone, Mika.”

She really didn’t go into this want to fight with him over it but she couldn’t help the way her body tensed, the sickening disappoint in the pit of her stomach. She pushed herself out of his arms, standing when everyone else was still dancing. “Well, if after nearly a decade of being together isn’t the right time, will it ever be?”

“Mikasa, what’s gotten into you?” Eren looked confused and a little lost, like she had completely caught him off guard, which she probably had. He reached out for her but she took a step back.

“It was supposed to be us, all of this it was supposed to be us but now they’re married and we’re still the same as always. Are we always going to be the same? Cause if so then what’s the point?”

She knew she was angry and frustrated but she realized her mistake when she saw his confusion turned to hurt. She couldn’t take her words back though, not when she still hurt herself. Instead Mikasa turned around through the crowd and left the dance floor.

She heard him call after her but she didn’t stop, not until she reached the small room the girls had gotten ready in earlier that morning. Mikasa closed the door behind her and leaned up against it; she could still hear the music like she was out there but she had a wall between herself and the people who expected her to be happy on her friend’s important day.

Mikasa couldn’t be happy though, not with all the emotions that were choking her. She really didn’t want to do this, not on Sasha’s day but Mikasa wanted her own special day. How was that so hard to understand? Why didn’t Eren understand? She loved him, she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, and she wanted to be his wife. It really wasn’t that difficult. The only thing she could think of was that he didn’t feel the same which only made matters worse; now she just wanted to cry.

Mikasa hit her head back against the door. She spent years and years with Eren, him being the only one for her, what would she do if he didn’t feel the same? Would it change everything? Could she stay with him knowing he never wanted to get married or would she need to move on to another relationship with someone who did? She loved Eren, with all her heart she did, and she wanted to marry him but if he didn’t want that like she did…

The music outside the door seemed to pick up but this time the opening notes struck a chord with her. She heard it countless times because she danced to it countless times with Eren. He started it, acting out the song when they were home one day, and Mikasa went along with it. The sinking feelings in her stomach fluttered into her throat as she pulled open the door.

He was standing there right outside the door, his hands in his pant pockets watching her; he had to have seen her go in and waited for her to come back out. Eren moved his shoulders and body a bit, hitting the appropriate move she knew so well to the beginning of the lyrics of the song. His eyes were questioning though, and she still saw where she hurt him with her words.

Mikasa wanted to explain, to say she was sorry, but she let her arms move towards him and mouthed the lyrics to him as the song played instead.

There was that smile from him that she lived for. He reached his hand out towards her and when she took it, she was being dragged back to the dance floor just in time for Eren to grab a hold of her. He pulled her in and pushed away in a small spin which he caught shortly after, finding their rhythm like they had at home when it was just them.

It was always just them.

His hands were there to meet her every move, his body hitting every step, his ridiculous facial expressions as he mouthed his part of the lyrics back to her. It was just a song, it was just a silly dance, but it was also Eren. How could she ever think there’d be a day when she didn’t want to look up and not see his face looking back at her, marriage or not.

She wanted to dance to this song for the rest of her life with him.

It took the cheering around them for Mikasa to remember Eren wasn’t the only person in the room. She looked away to see most everyone on the dance floor had circled around them, clapping them on; Connie and Sasha especially. Mikasa stopped where she was suddenly over whelmed with embarrassment and an unstoppable fit of laughter.

Eren’s arms were around her again as the crowd started to fill in around them, dancing their own versions of the song.

“Was this your request?” she asked, a small smile on her lips.

He nodded. “Mika, listen, the reason I never thought much about it,” he said, his voice low in her ear. “Was because I never thought a piece of paper could give us any more than we already had.”

Mikasa looked up at him, her hands resting on his arms.

“But if it’s important to you, then it’s important to me.” A smile crossed his lips. “Just give me a little bit to get a ring first.”

She leaned in until her lips were pressed to his. What was important to her was him, just being with him like they always had been. “Take your time,” she said.

Eren grabbed a hold of her hands, that toothy smile back on his lips. “Ready to show all these guys up? Cause Jean thinks he can dance better than me, I have to prove that one wrong.”

Mikasa had to laugh again, mainly because Jean could dance better than Eren. “Always.”

And she meant it in every sense of the word.


	46. Spin the Bottle

_**Anonymous:**  Can the 104ths play truth or dare or spin the bottle? (so dumb, I know. but with them it would be fun) either in cadet days or part of some drinking game in college au_

* * *

 

Mikasa was actually surprised how well this particular night in the boy’s dorm was going. Everyone was drinking and no one broke anything or threw up on anything. It was always a success when that happened. Granted that very well could’ve been because both Connie and Sasha were already passed out, Reiner and Bertholdt had to carry them into Connie’s room just to keep them out of the way; it’s not like the area was that big.

The common room of the boy’s room already had Bertholt, Jean, and Marco taking up one couch, Ymir with Historia nestled on her lap in one armchair, Eren sitting in the other armchair where Mikasa was sitting on the floor by his legs. Annie was sitting up on the counter of the kitchen in front of Reiner who was cleaning something in the sink and Armin leaning up against one of the other counters facing the room. Even so it was a little roomier now that Connie and Sasha weren’t spread out in the middle of the room.

Eren nudged Mikasa with his leg causing her to roll her head back against the chair. “Hey,” he said, leaning forward so he was more at her level and his half drank bottle of beer dangling from his hand towards her. “Wanna trade?”

She snorted, swirling her plastic cup of something a bit harder than beer Reiner made her. Though to be honest she wasn’t even really drinking it. “Not unless I want a call in the morning from Mexico wondering where anything you own is and asking for me to come pick you and your new wife up.”

“C’mon,” he groaned, but it was very halfhearted. “I’m not that bad.”

“Please, Eren,” Jean said, obviously overhearing the conversation. “When we were in high school we found you skinny dipping in the lake behind your house and claiming to be king of the seas monsters. That was with a couple shots of vodka.”

“That was a dare,” Eren said, bringing his bottle up to his lips and tipping it back.

“No one dared you,” Armin said from the kitchen. “You asked me to be the head sea monster rider or something.”

Historia had her hand over her mouth obviously trying not to laugh though Ymir wasn’t making any attempts to hide hers. “Jesus, sometimes I do wish I knew you in high school just to see this shit,” she said.

Eren decided he had enough storytelling and sulked back in his seat with a grunt.

Mikasa nudged him in his leg with her shoulder, trying to let him know she was just kidding when she started that. He pushed her back lightly so she figured he was okay. She remembered that night too. His parents were out of town that weekend and said Eren could have his friends over provided they all behaved; which in the Jaegers’ language was “I know you’re gonna be dumb kids and drink so make sure everyone stays over and no one gets hurt”. Mikasa did remember when he was naming all the people that were to be in his kingdom (while still skinny dipping in the lake), he actually had quite the court going in the realm of the sea monsters.

Someone asked him if he was king of this world who was supposed to be the queen. She still could see the look on Eren’s face, like there was nothing more obvious in the world than to say Mikasa. He was drunk and Eren always said stupid things when he was drunk. She never put much stock in his words when he was like that, but her heart still skipped at the thought, that he might not see her has just his friend he had known since they were nine.

Mikasa tried not to because here they were, sophomores in college and everyone still thought she was more like a sister than anything else. Eren always said no, that wasn’t it when people joked around about it but that didn’t stop him from dating plenty of girls, none of them being her. Granted, those relationships never lasted more than a few weeks but it still always felt like hot irons in her chest when it happened.

Conversations were getting loud around her again but she just stared down into her drink, not being able to enjoy it with the sinking feeling that always came when she thought about him like this. Maybe it was her fault, maybe because she was too chicken to actually tell him how she felt he just didn’t know. She was terrified to. Even though she knew she was in love with him after years and years of trying to deny it to herself, she could never tell him. She couldn’t bear to hear him say her name in that sad voice he got whenever he had to tell her bad news.

“Okay, guys, I have a better game for us to play,” Reiner announced loudly catching Mikasa’s attention and making her look up despite the turn in her emotions just wanting to make her cry instead.

Jean squinted up at what Reiner was playing. “An empty bottle of Bud Light? I don’t think there’s much fun in that save for figuring out who actually drank that crap.”

Reiner ignored him. “I thought we could have at throw back to the middle school party days.” He squatted down in the middle of the room and placed the bottle on its side, spinning it around.

There was a collective groan across the room.

“It wasn’t fun in middle school,” Marco laughed. “What makes you think it’s gonna be fun now?”

“Cause we’re all friends!” Reiner exclaimed, like he was personally offended no one liked spin the bottle. “And we’ve been drinking. C’mon, everyone gather around. It’ll be fun.”

“I’m game,” Jean said sliding down from the couch to the floor.

Eren arched an eyebrow at him. “You’re never game for anything. Who the hell do you want an excuse to kiss?”

Jean looked like he was about to bite back something but Reiner cut him off. “You’ll find out, I’m sure. Hurry up, everyone on the floor.”

Mikasa moved over a bit so both Bertholdt and Marco could get on the floor too though that cut out the space next to her Eren looked like he was about to squeeze into. He stepped over to sit in-between Armin and Annie who were next to Ymir and Historia. Reiner left the bottle in the center and went to sit down next to Jean. So it was more of a square than a circle but the essence of the game would still stay the same.

“Okay.” Reiner clapped his hands together a wicked grin on his face. “Who wants to go first?”

The room was suddenly very quiet.

“Alright, you big babies,” Ymir said leaning in to grab the bottle, spinning it on the carpet. She hit it pretty hard so it spun and spun until the top of the bottle landed squarely and appropriately on the only one aside from Reiner who was okay with the game. Ymir gave Jean a grin as she leaned around Reiner. “I’m breaking the ice with you, buddy, get over here.”

Jean took a swig of his bottle before leaning in probably for a quick and chaste kiss to Ymir. She grabbed his face though pulling him in and laying it on thick. Mikasa didn’t thought she ever saw Marco laugh so hard as he patted Jean’s back. He on the other hand was looking disgruntled and a little red faced.

“See, I told you it was fun!” Reiner said, leaning in to take his own turn. It spun and spun, landing in Annie’s direction. “Don’t give me that look, I know you have a thing for blonds.”

“Am I supposed to kiss you or punch you?” Annie grunted but leaned in just enough for Reiner to give her a bit of a sloppy kiss.

“Ugh,” she said sitting back and wiping her mouth. “You did that on purpose.”

“I did nothing of the sort. Go on, Jean, see if you can get someone you want to kiss this time.”

Jean leaned right in to spin the bottle against the carpet, watching it with careful eyes to see where it would land. Judging by the look on his face it didn’t land anywhere near where he wanted it to. “I’m gonna need more than just beer to do this.”

“I’m offended, Jean,” Eren said, looking down at the bottle pointed at him. He must’ve been at least a little drunk not to care. “Haven’t we known each other long enough?”

“We will never know each other long enough for this.”

“Stop whining and do it,” Ymir said, her arm draped around Historia’s shoulders.

Jean drank back everything in his drink before pushing himself to his feet to walk the short distance to where Eren was sitting. It wasn’t very pretty mainly because Eren kept laughing every time Jean got close and he looked even redder in the face then before. They managed to get through a rather quick kiss before Jean bee-lined for the kitchen to get himself another drink.

Cheers went up in the room, that and quite a lot of laughter (mainly from Armin who Mikasa thought might die). Obviously the game was going over rather well, at least for the overall amusement of the room.

Mikasa’s hands couldn’t stop fiddling with the edge of her shorts as she watched Marco lean in to take his turn. These were all her friends, most of them since high school but the others from at least freshman year here, she really didn’t have a problem playing the simple game with them but one question had her stomach in knots.

What if she got Eren?

Marco crawled across the center of the room to give Historia a chaste kiss, probably as to not get a beating from Ymir in the middle of it.

What if Mikasa actually had to kiss him? She wouldn’t lie and say it was something she never thought about before, but how much would it hurt to be so close to what she wanted but so incredibly far away.

Bertholdt also got Annie, though she wasn’t apt to complain quite as much as with Reiner. Probably because Bertholdt looked like he was starting to nervous sweat as he went over to fulfill his part of the game.

All eyes were on Mikasa as she reached in to take her turn. She tried to control the way her heart was pounding against her chest, watching it spin around and around until it started to slow down. Time almost seemed to slow down for Mikasa as it went passed Annie, Eren, Armin, herself, Bertholdt, and coming to stop in front of Marco.

He gave her a toothy grin, dimples in his cheeks. Marco had always been very nice to Mikasa since she met him last year. She let out a sigh of relief as she scooted across the carpet to sit in front of the black haired boy.

Marco leaned in to her, his lips nearly touching hers. “I’m sorry it wasn’t who you wanted it to be.”

A smile pulled at her lips. Mikasa very well knew her feelings for Eren were pretty well known, save for maybe Eren himself. “I appreciate it, but I don’t mind it.”

“Hey, hurry it up already,” Eren grunted from somewhere behind her. It was followed by a short gasped cry meaning either Annie or Armin elbowed him in the gut for it.

Mikasa tilted her head to give Marco a short, sweet kiss before turning back to her own spot. Well, there that was that. She didn’t have to worry about it anymore. That was until she looked over to Armin who was taking his turn and remembered Eren still had a turn himself. She felt like she was gonna choke on the spot.

Armin had to lean over Mikasa to take his turn with Berthholt who still looked about as uncomfortable as he did when he kissed Annie. Eren leaned in to spin the bottle and Mikasa thought her heart was gonna stop. Almost as intently as she watched hers she watched his turn, unsure if she should hope it didn’t land on her or if it should so she didn’t have to watch him kiss someone else.

All eyes were on her again when the bottled pointed at her and Mikasa thought she might stop breathing. She must’ve had some kinda surprised look on her face because Ymir snorted from her spot across the floor.

“What’s the big deal? They’ve known each other forever. They had to have tried this at least once.”

“No,” Armin shook his head, though the traitor had a huge grin on his lips. “Not to my knowledge at least.”

Mikasa didn’t know what to say to anyone let alone to Eren who had come to sit in front of her. She didn’t quite recognize the look in his eyes as he watched her, but he must’ve known something was wrong. He reached one hand up to her face, fingers brushing over her cheek. He hesitated for a moment and Mikasa was just about to tell him to take his turn again if he didn’t want to do this; the thought alone nearly made her eyes tear up. It was so stupid to get upset over someone not liking you more than just a friend when she couldn’t even tell him that’s how she felt.

She didn’t get the chance though. Eren tilted his head down and pressed his lips gently against hers. His hand was still on her cheek, his body leaning into her. Warmth filled her chest and her stomach fluttered under his touch. She thought that would be it, a quick kiss to satisfied the game and then it would go back like nothing ever happened but he didn’t move away, he didn’t stop kissing her. Mikasa couldn’t resist kissing him back, hands reaching up to press lightly against his chest.

Maybe it was her act of actually reciprocating his kiss but something changed in Eren. He reached his other hand up to her waist, holding her as close to him as she could get. He kissed her deeper nearly knocking her head back against the chair she was leaning up on. Her fingers curled into his shirt as she kissed him with as much as intensity as he was giving her.

Someone cleared their throat somewhere in the room but Mikasa was unsure who it was and she didn’t care since Eren didn’t move away from her.

“Armin, can you…you know do something?” That was Jean.

Armin laughed, sounding a bit farther away as opposed to right next to them. “Hey, buddy. You’re mixing up your middle school games, this was spin the bottle not seven minutes in heaven.”

Eren snorted as he broke the kiss, his eyes meeting Mikasa’s before he let her go. He flopped down next to her since Armin had apparently scooted over back next to Annie. “Sometimes it’s both you know. Depending on if your parents were home or not.”

Annie silently reached in to take her turn but Mikasa was having hard to paying attention to anything but replaying what had just happened in her head. What had just happened?

Eren placed his hand on the floor behind Mikasa, leaning back so his shoulder was right behind hers. It seemed like he was trying to say something to her but he was watching Annie lean over to give Historia a quick kiss.

What if things were awkward between her and Eren now? That was the absolute last thing she ever wanted. It was the reason she never told him how she felt about him.

Historia spun the bottle across the carpet but Ymir quickly stuck her hand in to make the bottle stop on her. Clearly the game had dissolved as people started to get up to get more drinks or food or whatever. Mikasa couldn’t move though, she could barely look at anyone else in the eye. She lost herself in that moment with Eren.

He leaned into her, his breath warm on her ear. It sent chills down her spine. “You ever wonder why I never had a relationship that lasted very long?”

Mikasa shook her head, glancing over at him.

There was a small smile on his lips as he watched her. He tilted his head in more till his lips were nearly against her skin. “They weren’t you.”

She turned her had so fast she was surprised she didn’t knock it into his.

He was still smiling at her even though she had to have the stupidest expression of disbelief on her face. “I should’ve done that a long time ago.”

He was being honest with her; Mikasa knew the look in his eyes well enough. He wasn’t teasing, he wasn’t joking, he was telling her how he felt. A smile pulled at her lips. Maybe spin the bottle really wasn’t that bad. “Yeah, you should’ve.”

Eren was laughing but then he was kissing her again.


	47. Runaway

_**mochi-mochi-cosplay asked:** know you have a lot to write, but maybe for something in the future,I had a cute writing idea! OTP getting married and rival/friend interrupts because they live the bride! I wanted to tell you before I forgot it :)_

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Eren didn’t know what he was doing here. All he really wanted was a cigarette but that would require him to go back inside the venue to ask Jean, and that would require him to remember why he even came to this God forsaken wedding anyway. He leaned up against the side of the brick building, his head hitting the stone, hands shoved in his slack pockets.

What was he doing here? Well, he supposed it was because he was invited. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the thought. He always wanted to see Mikasa dressed in a simple white dress that suited her perfectly walking down the aisle but not like this. He was the one who was supposed to be standing up at the altar, not forced to be sitting in the audience watching the girl he loved for so long marry someone else.

Eren really did wish he had that cigarette.

He could still remember the day she told him. She cried and cried that there wasn’t another way. By the Ackermans marrying into their wealthy business partner’s family, their two families would be tied and their business would be forever in good standing. The Ackermans gained nothing for their only daughter marrying the son of an artist, even if Eren was the one Mikasa loved not this rich asshole. Well, Mikasa loved Eren at one point, he couldn’t speak for her anymore. That day she walked out of their apartment was the last day he saw her, no matter how hard he tried to talk to her, tried to talk her out of this ridiculous choice.

He snorted looking up at the bright spring sky overhead. He nearly threw the invitation into the nearest shredder he could but he found himself getting dressed up this morning and driving over to the elaborate vineyard venue. He found his friends quickly, the ones that weren’t in the wedding party but even having people he knew didn’t help. He felt like all eyes were on him, the ex-fiancé, the boyfriend of six Goddamn years. Whether it was pity or wondering why the hell he was here, it was miserable. He tried to stay in there as long as he could but the people, the decorations, the venue, the altar; none of it was how Mikasa wanted her wedding to be.

Eren knew because just last year he was planning their wedding with her. There was nothing here that was reminiscent of the things she told him were necessities at their wedding. Everything was grand and sparkling, Mikasa always wanted a simple wedding, rustic, sentimental. This wasn’t her and no matter how bitter he was that this was her choice, it broke his heart more than anything to see her wedding didn’t even have a little bit of her in it.

He should go back inside, the ceremony would be starting soon probably. He should put on his best fake smile and congratulate the happy couple, because ultimately that’s why he was here. He couldn’t let Mikasa go through this alone. He wanted her to know no matter how hurt he might be, he’d always be there for her, that he loved her that much still.

Eren pushed himself off the wall and tried not to let his shoulders sink as he headed back for the wooden doors leading to the large ceremony. He stopped dead in his tracks when he looked up and saw Mikasa standing in front of him a little bit away on the sidewalk outside the building. He almost thought he was dreaming, but he knew he wasn’t.

She looked beautiful, standing there in her very princess like ball gown of a dress, her black hair done up in curls, veil flowing down her back, but she wasn’t smiling. She was biting her lower lip, makeup running down her face, some of her hair pulled out of the updo. He knew he wasn’t dreaming because he’d never imagine her looking so sad.

“Eren?” she asked, her voice breaking a bit as she watched him. “You came?”

He tried to give her a smile. “Of course I came.”

Her hands were balled in fists clenching onto the upper part of her skirt. “Did you drive here?”

“Ah, yeah, it was a hike but the other car pools were full apparently,” Eren shrugged. “Had to pick some place out in the middle of nowhere, huh.” He was trying to lighten the mood, maybe make her smile but the way her lower lip wobbled just a bit he knew it was the wrong thing to say.

She looked like she was gonna start crying at any second, and again by the looks of her swollen eyes, the black tear tracks on her cheeks. He wanted to just go over and hug her, tell her everything would be okay but he knew he couldn’t. She was marrying someone else.

“Will you get me out of here?”

Eren stared at her for a moment. He knew obviously something was wrong if she was standing out here in tears as opposed to being inside getting ready for her dad to walk her down the aisle.

“Please?” Her voice broke, her knuckles almost as white as her dress.

No, no, he knew he should say. No, Mikasa, you did this to yourself. This was your choice and now you have to live with it.  You pushed me away and out of your life. Instead, he found himself reaching for his car keys in his pocket. “Come on,” he said, gesturing to the parking lot.

Mikasa hiked up her skirt and followed after him. Eren once again had no idea what he was doing, but he couldn’t just leave her here if she wanted to leave. He unlocked the driver’s door to his car and slipped in, reaching over to unlock the passenger side door for her. He knew this was probably a mistake on his part, but he’d be lying to himself if he told himself he didn’t want the best for her.

She flopped inside the car, most of her dress still outside the door. She had to reach out and pull it all back in, the skirt and all the layers underneath it practically burying her in the seat. He might’ve laughed if he wasn’t essentially running away with the bride at her own wedding. Eren had to reach under the dress to even be able to find his stick shift. She tried to move it out of his way but it was practically useless. Who even made a dress that poofy?

“I’m sorry,” she groaned, trying to pat down the dress and keep it from invading his side of the car. “This…” She gestured to all the silky white fabric. “Was not my idea.”

Eren chose not to say anything in response. He just started up the car, shifting it into second and then third when he reached the main road. Granted he used main road lightly since they were literally out in the middle of nowhere. The roads were clear though which was nice, no other people to worry about. Well, maybe the people back at the wedding wondering where the bride was.

He looked over to her, her own eyes staring out the passenger window. “So…” Eren started, the silence nearly suffocating him. He shifted the gears into fourth, trying to get her away as quickly as he could, mainly because, God, her mother would murder him if she found out he was the one that took her away. “How did you manage to leave without anyone notice you? You’re kinda the main attraction.”

Mikasa looked over at him, and to his relief she gave him a bit of a sheepish smile. “I told the bridesmaids I needed some time alone, which was true, and then I…I jumped out of the window.”

Eren snorted. Leave it to Mikasa to jump out a window in a dress that was twice the size of her. That image aside, he wanted to ask her why. Why did you run? What made you leave?

“Where do you want me to take you?” he said instead.

Her eyes were back out the window. “Anywhere. Anywhere that isn’t here.”

Eren wasn’t too familiar with area, so he just followed wherever the signs led him. He’d glance over at Mikasa every now and then, but she had her elbow propped up on the door, watching the trees and fields go by. There was never a time he didn’t know what to say to her. All he really had planned was a quick congratulations and leaving before the reception even started. Now he was alone with her and he had no idea what to do.

His phone started buzzing in his pocket and he quickly slipped it between his ear and his shoulder when he saw Armin’s picture light up. “Hey, bud, what’s up?”

 _“Eren, where are you?”_ His tone was light, but even Eren heard all the commotion in the background. Clearly, they realized the bride was missing.

“Yeah, sorry, I already left,” Eren said downshifting and turning off onto another road, following a few signs he saw a little bit back. “I thought I could do it but yeah.” He didn’t quite want to say how he was feeling with Mikasa listening to his side of the conversation.

Armin was quiet for a moment. _“I understand but um, Eren, Mikasa is gone.”_

Eren tried to make a noise of surprise that would impress Armin, but Eren wasn’t sure how good of a job he did. “What happened?”

_“No one knows. Sasha said Mikasa asked them to leave the room but when it started to get late and Sasha nearly broke down the door, Mikasa was gone. They’ve been searching the area but they can’t find any trail of her.”_

“Maybe she just got cold feet, I’m sure she’ll show back up when she’s ready. I wouldn’t worry, she can take care of herself.”

 _“So you have no idea where she would’ve gone?”_ There was that tone, that knowing one Armin got when he was working things out in his head. He probably had a sneaking suspicion that the missing bride and Eren disappeared around the same time.

“No,” Eren said. “But I would assume she’s safe wherever she is.”

_“Okay, thanks, have a safe drive, Eren. I’ll keep you updated.”_

“Thanks, buddy. Bye.” Eren clicked off the phone but he knew Armin well enough to know that was “I know she’s probably with you and I’ll let you know if they call the cops”. Granted, they were so far away from the vineyard now it would take a long time for anyone to find them, which is what Mikasa wanted Eren assumed.

It was quiet again for a moment. “Thank you,” Mikasa said, clearing her throat.

“For what?”

“For lying to Armin, for…this.”

Eren shrugged. “If you didn’t want to be there I’m sure you had your reasons. Work out what you need to, I’ll take you back whenever you’re ready.”

Mikasa nodded but she didn’t say anything else on the matter. She always kept her feelings to herself, always kept her emotions in check. To Eren though, she was like an open book. He always knew how she was feeling, what she was thinking but today, today he was at a complete loss.

He kept driving unaware of how long it had been since he found Mikasa standing outside of the building, but when he saw the sign he was looking for he downshifted down through the gears till he was at first, pulling onto a dirt road nearly hidden completely by trees. It led to a small dirt parking lot that had no cars in it and was blocked by the woods that surrounded it. Even if anyone went out looking for his car they wouldn’t see it in here, which worked out pretty well. He parked and turned it off before looking to Mikasa.

She was watching him with a confused look on her face. “Where are we?”

“Honestly? I have no idea. The signs said there were some foresty mountain trails so I figured you might need a hike and some fresh air.” She always loved to hike out in the woods. Eren couldn’t count the amount of times they went camping together, laying out under the stars, planning their future together.

She laughed and it sent chills down his spine. “Eren, I very well can’t go hiking in this.” She gestured to the dress that was still taking over half his car.

“I got it, don’t worry.” He reached down to pop his trunk before opening the door and stepping out. He didn’t really want to tell her he had some of her things in his trunk that he was giving back to Sasha but it seemed like it came in handy now. He dug through some of the bags until he found a shirt and a pair of pants. He walked back over to Mikasa’s side and opened the door.

She reached out to the clothes, a look of surprise on her eyes. She didn’t ask how or why he had them though.

“You can change in the car, I’ll stand back here, okay?”

“Ah, before you do, would you mind…?” she gestured to her back.

“Of course.” He stepped back so she and the dress could get out. It was all laced up and maybe there was a zipper there? “I didn’t know I had to be a sailor to figure out how to undo this thing.”

She laughed again, it was bright and clear and it almost made it impossible to hide his own smile at the sound. “Just do what you can. I don’t even care if you cut me out. This wasn’t my idea.”

Eren wasn’t sure if she was just referring to the dress. “I think I can do it knife free.” He reached his hands out trying not to brush by any of the skin showing on her upper back, trying to ignore the way more skin opened up to him as he undid the lace, zipped down the zipper hidden behind the fabric. He tried not to remember the nights he used to be able to trail his hands down her smooth back, the kisses he used to press there. “All done,” Eren said, clearing his throat.

She nodded her thanks and slipped back in the car. Eren took the hint and walked around the back, pulling out his own change of clothes he brought in case he didn’t want to go home tonight. Once he had a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers on he waited until she was ready.

Was this a horrible idea? Was he setting himself up for a whole other world of heartache when he had to bring her back to her family, back to her future husband? What the hell did he think he was doing? Eren sighed, leaning up against the back of his car. He wanted to say this was a mistake, but if Mikasa needed some time away for her, and if he could help her with that how could it be a mistake?

“Okay,” she said.

Eren turned his head to see her standing next to the car, dress dumped unceremoniously in the back seat. She must’ve found something to wipe the make-up trails off her face and she had pulled out all the curls, leaving her hear falling down past her shoulder, longer than the last time he saw it. She still looked beautiful, but now she looked more like she did in his dreams.

“Um, do you maybe have so shoes in that trunk of yours?” Mikasa asked, holding up a pair of heels on her fingers and giving him a shy smile.

“Ah, yeah, hang on.” He turned around and dug till he found some flip flops of hers. Okay, not super hiking material but better than stilettos.

She said her thanks before tossing the shoes in the car and slipping on the sandals. Eren shut the trunk and moved to lock his side of the door; he went to get hers too but he noticed she already did it. She remembered his car didn’t have automatic locks or maybe it was just habit.

“Ready?” Eren asked, gesturing towards the trail.

“Yeah,” she nodded.

They walked side by side through the woods. The spring air was just the right mix of warm and cool making him glad for the change of clothes. Mikasa seemed to feel better too, that dress probably weighed about two tons. He could breathe better out here, the sounds of the woods around them making him feel a little more relaxed but it was impossible to ignore Mikasa’s presence next to him. The presence he still found himself longing for, even this morning when he was getting ready to go to her wedding.

It hurt. It still hurt that she chose a stranger over him. He understood it was a family matter, and she was trying to do right by her family but at the cost of their friendship, their relationship, their own marriage. He was gonna spend the rest of his life with her and now he just was spending the rest of his life missing her. Even though she was quiet as they walked, even though he didn’t know a thing that was going on in her head, it felt like a piece of him that was missing for so long was back. He just wanted to reach out and hold her and never let her go back but he knew it was selfish of him. This was her choice.

“Eren?”

He almost jumped when she said his name. “Yeah, what’s up?”

She was watching him intently as they walked. “I, um…I just wanted to know…” She stopped in the middle of the trail causing him to stop a few steps ahead of her. “Why did you come?”

Eren didn’t know the intended meaning of her question but having her eyes on him, eyes that were lacking the usual life, the usual brightness they always cared, he couldn’t lie to her. “I’m always here for you. I wasn’t gonna miss a day that’s supposed to be a happy occasion.”

Her hands tugged at the hem of her shirt. “But after what I did…” she trailed off knowing she didn’t have to say it.

His heart clenched, but he ignored it. “It’s okay. It’s your life to live as you please, Mikasa. C’mon, let’s keep walking.”

She didn’t move though, she just kept watching him. Eren was about to urge her again but she bit down on her bottom lip, a sure sign there was something she wanted to say. “I was…I was standing in that room all alone, my hair done, make-up done, dress on everyone telling me I looked like a princess. My parents and his parents made sure everything was absolutely perfect and maybe it was, but I just…I couldn’t stop crying.” She took in a sharp breath, her eyes getting glossy. “All I could think of was that book we made together, you remember the one? With all the notes and business numbers, with the pictures we taped in?”

He nodded slowly but if he had any words they wouldn’t have come out through his choked up throat.

“And the hours we spent picking out all the things we wanted in our wedding, that I wanted lanterns on the tables, and you wanted to pick nicknames for each table but I kept ruling out the ones you picked cause they…”

“Were too inappropriate,” Eren finished.

“But you thought they were funny.”

“So did you, I remember a lot of laughing.”

A smile pulled at her lips, but she was on the brink of tears and there was nothing Eren could do to stop it. For the first time since she walked out of his life she was opening up to him. He didn’t even know what he should say. “All I could think about how everything in that book was perfect, not this. Not the dress, not the venue, not the decorations, not the…groom.”

Eren watched a few tears roll down her cheek.

“It wasn’t the first time I regretted my decision but it was it was the first time I realized I couldn’t live with the choice I did make. So I ran…I ran and I never in a thousand years expected you to be there, but there you were standing there in front of me.” She choked out a cry. “I never deserved that but you still came for me. I just…I couldn’t…I…”

He walked over the short distance to where she was standing, tears falling from her eyes and he placed both his hands on her cheeks forcing her to look up at him. “Mikasa, it’s okay, everything is okay.”

She nodded but her eyes were so thick with tears it made him want to cry. “Do you hate me?”

He made sure she was watching him before he answered. “You hurt me in ways that I never even knew possible. I know you did it for your family, but I thought we were a family too, and then you left me. After all the sleepless nights I wanted nothing but having you there beside me, all the days I wanted to share with you, all the heartache your absence caused, the fact you were marrying some guy you didn’t even know over me, Mikasa, I could never hate you.”

She looked surprised for a moment, but her face quickly crumbled in cries. He pulled her into him, letting her head fall against his shoulder as her tears fell into his shirt, his skin.

“I love you, I always have and I always will.”

Her hands curled into the fabric of her shirt. “I couldn’t do it,” she cried, shaking her head against him. “I tried to be a god daughter but I…I couldn’t do it. He wasn’t you.”

He tangled his hand in her hair, holding her head close to him, his hand rubbing up and down her back as his own eyes stung. “Shh,” he hushed. “It’s okay.”

“I made the biggest mistake of my life, and…and I knew it the moment I shut the door behind me. I ignored your calls because just hearing your voice hurt. I missed you so much, every single day I missed you. I love you, Eren, I never stopped. Not once.”

“I know, Mikasa. I know.”

She shook her head. “No, there’s something…there’s…” She pulled away from him just enough to reach for her neck, pulling out a silver chain, a ring hanging at the bottom of it. “Maybe it was wrong of me to wear another man’s engagement ring under my wedding dress, but I could never bear to part with it.”

Eren reached out for it, remembering the weeks he carried it in his pocket waiting for just the right time. It was his mom’s, she gave it to him specifically for Mikasa. His throat choked up. “You kept it?”

Her eyes were bright again. “It was the only one I ever wanted to wear. That and…” She reached down to take his left hand in hers. “A wedding band that matched yours. I don’t know if I can ever apologize enough for what I did but, Eren, you’ve always been the only one I’ve ever wanted. I don’t care about what my family wants and I don’t care about the business. I just want you. Even before I saw you standing outside today, I only wanted you. I only wanted to see you standing at the other end of the aisle.”

He moved his hands up to her face again and ignoring the tears that were rolling down his face he didn’t stop leaning towards her till he was kissing her. Warmth spread through his entire body, like electricity flowing through his veins, when she kissed him back. That aching, that longing he felt every moment of every day she wasn’t there was being filled; she was here, she was still here with him.

Eren broke away, his eyes fluttering shut as he leaned his forehead against hers, her breath warm on his lips. He knew this would be hard work. He couldn’t erase all the pain she caused him, and she wouldn’t be able to forget what she had done, her own pain at being forced into something she never wanted but this was a chance. A chance to work together to rebuild the life they always wanted to have together.

He reached his hands behind her neck, unclasping her necklace. He let the chain fall to the ground but kept the ring in his hand. “Mikasa Ackerman,” he murmured. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she breathed.

He reached for her left hand, poising the ring over her finger. “Promise not to leave me for a rich dick again?”

She laughed, and it was music to his ears. He only ever wanted to make her laugh, make her smile. “Promise.”

He slid the ring down, fitting perfectly on her hand like it always had. She reached up to kiss him again but Eren’s phone went off in his pocket. He pulled it out and held it up to his ear. “Is it the cops or the National Guard?”

 _“Just the cops but I wouldn’t bank on them not calling the National Guard. Everyone is pretty freaked out.”_ Armin paused for a moment. _“Are you done doing whatever you needed to do?”_

“Well, everything that could be done in the middle of the woods.”

Armin snorted. _“Jesus, okay, what am I supposed to tell them?”_

“You wanna talk to her?”

_“Yeah, see what she wants me to do here.”_

A thought clicked in Eren’s head. “Did you have something to do with this?”

_“Not at all. This was all you guys.”_

Eren could almost hear the grin in Armin’s words, but he let it go and passed the phone to Mikasa who was wiping her eyes.

“Hey, Armin,” she said looking over to Eren. “I’m sorry to do this to you, but if you could I’d like you to tell them I’m fine and perfectly safe but I’m not coming back.” She reached for Eren’s hand, holding it carefully in hers like if she moved too fast she’d lose him again. “I’m never coming back.”

And they never did.


	48. Sports Club

_**Anonymous:**  pls make a sport club AU with Eren as the dorky captain and Mikasa as the gorgeous, attentive manager <3 (preferably basketball or volleyball club ehehe)_

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Mikasa was fairly certain she saw every basketball game and every day of practice at her high school since she was nine years old. She supposed that’s what happened when she was placed in the care of her uncle who was also the coach of the high school team who also didn’t know anyone who could babysit her. She sat from the same seat on the bench next to where Levi was usually pacing and grunting for years. It seemed only natural that when she was a student at the school Levi asked if she wanted to manage the team.

Not like Levi trusted anyone else really.

Levi blew a whistle that echoed through the court, calling in the boys who were mid running a play. Mikasa looked up from her homework on her lap as she sat on one of the nearby benches. It was a little too early for him to end practice so he was probably about to lecture them about their sloppy form in practice today; they did have a game in a few days after all. She tried to bite back a smile when that’s exactly what Levi did.

He blew the whistle again sending them back out and she hoped for their sake they did it right this time. Levi was strict but he always knew what he was talking about, and he had a good team this year to work with, though some stood out more than others. Bertholdt stood out the most just because he was easily the tallest on the team and that played well in this game. Connie was smaller but he was fast and was good at getting the ball to make passes. Jean and Marco were also both good players who adapted well to any play. Armin used to be on the team, but was moved to Levi’s side when he saw how well Armin thought of plays and strategy. Mikasa saw the difference almost instantly, and so did everyone else when the team had no losses for the season yet.  

The stand out to her though was their team captain, Eren. To be blunt, he kinda sucked when he was a freshman but at his try out Mikasa saw more determination in him than she saw in most people. She practically begged Levi to give Eren a shot and was more than a little surprised when Levi listened to her. Eren was focused and passionate; he practiced more than anyone else on the team and quickly improved significantly becoming the captain when he was just a junior. A smile pulled at her lips; it was actually really inspiring to watch even if he never really noticed she was watching. It also, you know, helped he was also the most attractive boy on the team.

She looked back down to her work before Levi caught her staring and never let her live it down. She tried to focus on the words on the page between the squeaks of sneakers on the floor and Levi’s periodic shouts. Thankfully, she was used to it.

“Hey, Mikasa,” Armin waved, walking up a few benches to where she was sitting.

“Hey,” she said with a smile. “What’s up?”

He sat down next to her, leaning forward on his legs. “I have a big project due in chemistry tomorrow, would you do me a huge favor and help clean up tonight so I can leave right when it ends? Promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said. “It’s fine.”

“Thanks, Mikasa.” Armin breathed a sigh of relief. “You’re the best.”

“That’s what they tell me,” she shrugged making him laugh.

“They’re looking good, huh?” He looked back over the team where Levi was making them run the play again.

“Much better than earlier, though Connie’s timing is still a little off.”

Armin hummed. “Yeah, I hope his injury is healing up okay. We can’t afford to lose him.”

“He’s probably just hungry and dragging.”

“That’s actually very true,” Armin snorted.

She had been with these boys all through their try outs, practices, cuts, and games. It was nearly impossible not to know them. It was to the point where she was fairly certain some of the other girls weren’t her biggest fan of being close to some of the most popular kids in school. That of course was just the dynamics of a school whose world revolved around sports. She saw it a million times before, and it never bothered her too much. She was happy spending her time up in the benches watching over her team.

Levi blew his whistle signaling for the team to come in for notes before practice was over.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Armin said, pushing himself to his feet to jump back down to the court.

“See you,” she said.

Levi was already going on about the things they needed to fix and mentioning a few of the good things, something she had to get on him about when he didn’t give appropriate praise. Not everyone was used to his rough personality.

“Mikasa,” he called, getting her attention.

She pushed her books off her lap and grabbed her paperwork for the game coming up before heading down.

“Our game after next is an overnight,” Levi said, pausing when the boys started to cheer. “Before you get too excited, it’s an overnight because we’ll be playing two games, one on Friday and one on Saturday morning so that means extra practice for all of you this coming week to make sure you know your stuff.”

The excitement died down significantly nearly making Mikasa laugh.

“Also see Mikasa for permission slips for your parents or guardians to fill out or your asses are getting left here. Now, help make this place look spotless and you can go.” Levi waved them off as Mikasa gathered all the forms she had from the school office.

She gave Armin his first so he could leave before handing out the rest to all the boys who were waiting patiently for her. She still passed them out as quickly as she could knowing they were probably all tired and wanted to get home.

Clean up was quick like usual, since Levi pounded into their heads to respect their space and their equipment. Mikasa didn’t have to do too much but count all the balls and make sure the bin was locked up before they left.

Most of the boys, if not all, had already headed out by the time she stood counting all the basketballs and found it to be one short. Well, that wasn’t a big deal. It probably just slid under a bench or something. She turned around to face the court to find that last ball only to see Eren standing behind her, holding the missing ball in his hands.

“Mind if I stay later, Miss Manager?” he asked with a smile.

That wasn’t too unusual; Eren tended to like to practice by himself. “Sure,” she said, dropping the top of the cage for the balls. “Just lock them up and push it back when you’re done.”

“You got it.” He bounced the ball against the floor, the noise echoing in the otherwise empty arena.

Mikasa turned to leave, walking back where she left her stuff. Levi looked like he was already gone which was fine. She normally stayed a little later to work and took the second bus home.

“Hey, Mikasa?” Eren asked.

When she looked over at him, he was facing her again, ball back in his hands. “Yeah?”

“Did you ever play?”

“Yeah, actually,” she said with a small laugh. “But I was terrible.”

“I don’t buy that,” he snorted. “With Levi as your blood, how could you?”

“His brother wasn’t that great with sports,” Mikasa said. She was fairly certain everyone in school knew the circumstances surrounding Levi becoming her guardian but Eren didn’t even flinch when she mentioned her father like most people did.

“C’mere then,” Eren said, nodding towards the court.

“There’s no way in hell I’m playing one on one with you.”

“No,” he laughed. “But I think you’re lying so come prove me wrong.” He tossed the ball over to her which she caught just fine, causing him to arch an eyebrow at her.

“Catching a ball is easy.” She really should’ve just thrown it back at him and kept walking but Eren, he was infectious. Mikasa walked over to where he was standing in front of the hoop. She lined up the shot, pushed the ball out of her hands, and completely missed. “That not so much for someone who doesn’t practice.”

Eren rolled his eyes as he jogged after the ball. “You weren’t even trying.”

She opened her mouth to ask him how he was supposed to know that but he came back, passing her the ball. Instead of backing away, he moved to stand behind her, his chest pressing up against her back and Mikasa had to remember how to breathe.

He reached his hands onto hers, his arms resting against her, and his chin over her shoulder where she could feel his warm breath in her ear. “Lift your arms like this,” he said as he raised her arms with his, and she had to try and ignore the chills running down her spine. “Bend your knees a little, and…” Eren pushed on her hands but she already knew what to do.

The ball shot across the court landing right through the hoop. Eren shot his hands up in the air before pointing accusingly at her. “I knew it!”

“Stop,” she laughed, walking backwards over to where the ball fell. “Just because I know form doesn’t mean I was any good in a game.”

“I don’t believe that,” Eren said, smug smile on his lips. “You’re good at everything.”

“That’s not true.” She picked up the ball and bounced it back to him. “I have no idea where you got that from.”

“Top of the class, best manager there could be, clearly hidden athlete, beautiful, oh no, I think I know.”

Heat rose to her cheeks before she could even think to stop it. Sure, her and Eren were technically teammates but she never actually thought he ever even really saw her past that girl who takes care of the team and makes sure we get to places on time.

“Well…” She cleared her throat. “I could never dunk. I’m too short. See, I’m not good at everything.”

Eren let the ball hit the ground before catching it again. “I think I got that covered for us.” He dribbled the ball as he started to move around the court, getting just enough momentum to jump up at the hoop. The ball went in and his hand grabbed onto the rim but he must not’ve gotten a good enough grip because he slipped right off, landing down on his side on the court.

Mikasa ran over, dropping to her knees in front of him. God, that’s all she needed for the star player to get injured when they were goofing around. Levi would murder her. “Oh my God, Eren, are you okay?”

He was pushing himself up to sit on his elbows, wincing as he did. “Pretty sure my pride is crushed.”

She couldn’t help it; she leaned back on her legs and laughed. “To be fair, I never got as far as you did.”

“Promise I’m better than that.” He winced again as he tried to sit up more.

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. “I know you are.”

Eren looked up at her, blue eyes watching her intently. “I, um, I never got a chance to thank you.”

“Thank me? For what?” Her forehead furrowed as her eyes met his.

“For seeing me when no one else did.”

It took her a moment to realize what he meant and by that time she was pretty sure her face was as red as the lights on the monitor above them. “Levi told you?”

Eren nodded, looking a little bashful himself. “I just never really knew how to bring it up or…how much it means to me.”

“Oh, um, well, no need to thank me. You didn’t prove me wrong.”

When he smiled at her she was pretty sure she might actually die, even though he was the one who was still fallen on the floor after slipping off the hoop. “I really mean it, you know.”

“What the hell are you two doing?”

The sound of Levi’s voice had them both nearly jumping out of their skin. He was standing in the entrance of the court, arms crossed and eyebrow arched.

“Nothing, Coach,” Eren said, jumping up to his feet. “Was just practicing.”

“Uh-huh, stop showing off to my niece, Jaeger, and get your asses outside. I’ll give you a ride home.”

Mikasa just wanted to bury her face into her hands but when she looked up at Eren he was giving her that toothy smile of his. He rolled his eyes but didn’t actually deny it. Maybe…maybe he really did see her just as much as she always saw him.

He reached a hand down to help her to her feet, and even when she stood up to get the ball, he was the one who didn’t let go.


	49. The Force Awakens

_**martinthedragon** **:**  I have a request: Eren and Mikasa going to go see The Force Awakens._

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Eren wouldn’t actually tell anyone he was nervous, but he figured the fact his hands were practically shaking in his lap, he couldn’t stop fidgeting in the slightly uncomfortable movie theatre seat, and popcorn left untouched by his feet was giving him away pretty obviously. He wished he could say it was because he was just that excited to be sitting in the movie theatre getting ready to see the newest and supposedly one of the best  _Star Wars_ movies. While he was more than a little excited to see the movie, it was that empty seat next to him that was making him feel like he was going into mild cardiac arrest.

“Hey! Eren, are you even paying attention?”

“Huh?” he said, looking down at the seats in front of him where Connie, Sasha, and Jean were sitting.

Connie had his eyebrow arched and was making some ridiculous face which looked even more ridiculous considering the black hood from the robe he was wearing shadowing his face. “Sasha was asking you your question.”

“Yeah, sorry, what is it?” Eren reached a hand up to rub his forehead.

Sasha, who chose to don a brown hood and robes so that, in her words, she “could kick Connie’s ass from here to Naboo” which only made Connie question her choice of planet cause while Naboo is beautiful why would anyone go there and risk a Gungan encounter and that only sparked more debate between them and less lightsaber battling.

“What’s wrong with you?” Connie asked. He was surprisingly the first one of the night to actually notice Eren was practically sweating bullets. “You look like you’re gonna throw up not weep endlessly over a few words that’re gonna pop up on the screen soon.”

Yeah, throwing up, that sounded pretty good right about now. “I’m fine,” he said instead. “I worked all day, and it’s almost midnight. I’m just tired.”

“You can never be tired for  _Star Wars_!” Sasha cheered, raising her hands in the air, plastic blue lightsaber and all.

“I mean technically he  _can_ because he is,” Connie said, but that only earned jab in the stomach from Sasha’s lightsaber.

“I’m sure he’ll feel better when every member of our party is here,” Armin said from Eren’s other side making him look over to the blond.

Armin was still staring down at his phone, scrolling through some article or something. He did have that stupid smile on his face.

Eren opened his mouth to ask Armin what the hell he was talking about but Eren had a funny feeling he already knew.

“Yeah, where is Mikasa?” Jean asked, glancing back towards Eren from right below next to Sasha. “Is she coming?”

“Yes,” Eren grunted, probably sounding more defensive than he needed to be. Judging by the way Jean’s eyebrows arched, way more defensive than Eren needed to be. “She’s on her way.”

Which was kinda a lie. He didn’t actually know where she was, because he couldn’t bring himself to just send her one Goddamn text message. Jean seemed appeased enough to turn back around, though when he did get two glowing lightsabers to the face when he did.

This was so stupid. This was Mikasa, he could send her a damn text message. He picked up his phone off his lap and went to find her name in his contacts; it was pretty easy, it was like at the top of his recent text list. He paused with this finger over her name. God, this was so stupid. He knew Mikasa since they were nine years old and now he couldn’t even send her a text because he had to go and ask her out on a date.

He bit back a groan and put his phone back down. Okay, so it was what he wanted, it really was. Mikasa was gorgeous inside and out, the best person he knew, and somewhere along their long friendship he fell for her. Hard, embarrassingly hard. He had no idea if she actually felt the same way about him or if he was ruining their friendship by fumbling with his words to try and ask her out but she smiled at him and she said okay.

That was a good sign right?

He had thought so, he felt like he was walking on air for the rest of the day. Nothing could possibly be bad. He was gonna see  _The Force Awakens_ with Mikasa on an actual date. They used to watch  _Star Wars_ for days on end together; it was always him, her, and Armin but if he couldn’t make it was still Mikasa and Eren and it was always some of his best memories. When better to ask her out? Then the realization sunk in that he was gonna go on a date with Mikasa Ackerman and everything seemed so much more stressful. Did he tell the others that they were technically on a date? Or did him and Mikasa know and that was all that mattered? Did he pick her up at work? Or meet her outside? Or, hell, what was he even supposed to wear?

It wasn’t his first date by a long shot, but it was the first one in a long time that even mattered to him. He ran his hands through his hair trying to ease his mind, that everything was gonna be okay but ever since this morning he had this horrible nagging feeling that he was gonna mess up and ruin all of this before it even started. Sure, Mikasa had seen him do stupid shit and even bailed him out of stupid shit to yell at him for why it was stupid but this…this was so much different.

“You need to get some air or something?” Armin’s voice said making Eren jump in his seat.

“Heh? Why would I need that?” Eren grumbled, sinking down a little lower in his seat.

Armin leaned a little closer, his voice quiet against the theater that was only growing louder as more people came in. “Because your face is almost as red as the seats.”

Eren was pretty sure that didn’t help the heat in his face at all.

“She said Levi was dropping her off, right?”

“Yeah, that’s what she told me this morning.” You know, before he chickened out and couldn’t even look at her text messages.

“Just go wait for her outside then.” Armin got a glint in his eyes, a smile pulling at his lips. “It is your date after all.”

Eren groaned, hitting his head back against the seat. “How’d you know?”

“You look like you’re about to both pass out and throw up from nerves. You love  _Star Wars,_ but not that much,” Armin snorted. “Just go, might be easier if all of us aren’t watching.”

He had a point, maybe getting into the lobby might be a good thing. “Alright,” Eren said, pushing himself to his feet.

“Hey,” Armin said getting Eren’s attention again and giving him a smile. “Relax a little. There’s nothing to be worried about, promise.”

Easy for Armin to say. “Yeah, thanks,” Eren said, shoving his hands into his hoodie as he made his way out of theater. It was one of his sweatshirts since it was made to look like the armor of a Stormtrooper and Mikasa gave it to him for his birthday this year for this day specifically.

This was what he wanted, but why did it have to be so hard? It was Mikasa, one of his best friends. It should be easy. He never had a problem talking to her before, he never had a problem being around her, so why did he feel like he was gonna make a fool out of himself in front of her? God knows he had done it countless times before.

He took a deep breath when he stepped out into the lobby. There were still quite a few people out here but not as much as in the theater.

Maybe it was because he wanted to impress her; he wanted her to feel the same way that he felt about her. They were always friends, but this was different. This meant something entirely different. It was something he knew he felt about her, he knew it without a doubt now, but what if she didn’t feel the same way and then he not only lost the girl of his dreams and one of his best friends?

Was this a horrible idea?

Eren didn’t even get the chance to answer that because when he looked up towards the front doors there she was pulling one open and stepping inside from the bitter December air. She looked the same as she always did, which was gorgeous; she was dressed for the night with some leggings that had stars all over them and he assumed a dress or skirt judging by her long jacket that was covering the rest of her body. Even though his heart felt like it was gonna pound out of his chest, he still couldn’t hold back a smile as he reached his hand up to wave at her.

Mikasa smiled at him and Eren had to remind himself how to breathe. “Hey,” she said, as she hurried over to him, stopping just a few inches away. “Sorry, I’m late. Levi was being a pain in the ass.”

“Ah, what else is new,” Eren said, trying not to clench his hands in his pockets but also wanting to keep them in there cause was he supposed to hug her? Or hold her hand?

Her forehead furrowed as she watched him and he very well knew he was busted. “What’s wrong?”

Nothing, he wanted to tell her, absolutely nothing let’s go watch the movie but that would be a lie. Was lying about how he was feeling really a great way to start off a potential relationship with someone who already trusted him? He dropped his hands from his pockets to fall at his sides.

“Mikasa, I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing,” he admitted as embarrassing as it was. “This…this is really important to me and I don’t mean seeing  _Star Wars_ , well, I mean  _Star Wars_ is important to me but not like you are and…and all I can think of is all the ways I’m gonna do all the wrong things and ruin all of this like I’m probably doing right now babbling like an ass.”

She smiled, she actually smiled at him; it made some of the tension in his chest start to unravel. It did feel better admitting that to her even if he wished it came out a little smoother. Mikasa reached her hands up to hold either side of his face making him look down at her. “It’s just us. We’ve done this a million times.”

“Yeah,” he choked, her cool fingers raising goose bumps on his skin. “But it’s different now.”

Mikasa shook her head. “It’s not. It’s always been you and me, right?”

It was the way it always was. Eren learned pretty early on in his dating life that no one could compare to the girl he already had by his side; it just took him a little while to understand just why. He did now and she was giving him a chance. Being with her was just like breathing; even now with just her eyes watching his, her gentle touch on his face he already felt better, lighter.

He wasn’t one hundred percent sure what his reasoning was, maybe he didn’t have any at all, but before he could really think about it his head tilted down to kiss her. He supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised when she didn’t jerk away, when she kissed him back but he was. His heart was up in his throat, pulse pounding in his ears but absolutely nothing felt better than her soft lips against his. This, this he could easily get used to.

Eren pulled away but her hands kept his face close to her, his forehead against hers. He felt the type of ridiculous grin he had on his lips one only she could bring, the heat still up in his cheeks. “I may have jumped the gun a little there.”

She laughed lightly in that voice he adored, her eyes bright. “I’m glad you did.” This time it was her that leaned her face up to his but a very familiar throat clearing made both their heads turn.

God, someday he would not be the butt of Armin’s smug ass grin.

“I thought maybe you might wanna know the movie’s starting,” he said.

“Ah, yeah, thanks,” Eren said though he really didn’t know if he could move.

Mikasa grabbed a hold of his arm to walk him back to the theater, probably because he had forgotten how to walk.

By the time they turned the corner Armin was already back to the theater, one that was already dark, some preview playing on the screen. Eren led Mikasa up to their seats, earning a squeal of joy from Sasha, who waved her lightsaber around in excitement and hitting both Connie and Jean on the heads. Eren sat back down next to Armin, Mikasa taking the seat next to Eren.

There, well, that was better. He certainly felt a lot better.

“You know I love you, Eren,” Armin said, leaning over. “But if you two are gonna make out the whole time I’m finding a new seat.”

“Hey, Sash,” Eren said as he nudged her with his foot. “Can I borrow your lightsaber for a second to dismember my best friend?”

Armin snorted and the screen went dark, cheers going up in the theatre. When Eren looked over at Mikasa, she was watching up at the screen with those beautiful eyes of hers. She was right, this is the way it always was. Nothing to be nervous about.

He extended his hand into her lap and Mikasa instantly laced her fingers with his, leaning her body closer to him in her chair. With a grin he couldn’t hold back Eren looked back to the screen, waiting for those words that started endless movie marathons with the girl he was sitting next to and Armin on Eren’s other side. There’s no one else he’d want to be here with.

_A long time ago in a galaxy far, far way…_


	50. Study

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated T for Mild Sexual Situations.

_**Anonymous:**  Study sesh with Eremika (; I know everyone expects Eren to be the one who's super distracting and just wants to forget about the homework and do fun activities instead *winks* but I can definitely see Mikasa being that one too. More than Eren actually!!_

* * *

 

“Eren?”

“Hmm?”

“How much longer is it gonna take you to finish that problem?”

“I don’t know, Mikasa, but the more you ask me about it the longer its gonna take.”

“Alright, alright.”

A beat.

“How about now?”

Eren looked up from his spot at the desk to his girlfriend who was laying down on his bed watching him. “It’s not my fault you finished all your immediate homework and you have to be bored and wait for me to finish. Why don’t you work on some stuff that’s due later in the week?”

Mikasa pushed herself up to her feet to do what Eren assumed he suggested. He turned back to his chemistry book to try and keep working out this dumbass problem but arms draped over his chest instead. He turned his head to see Mikasa leaning over the back of his chair.

“Can I help you?”

She pressed her cheek up against his. “Can we do something else?”

“Mikasa,” he laughed. “I have to get this homework done. It’s due tomorrow. C’mon, let me finish up at least Chem and we can do something else.”

“Alright,” she said and went to move but Eren grabbed her face first, pressing a kiss to her lips before she went to flop back down on the bed.

He went to read the problem again and maybe try and actually work it out this time a sigh from Mikasa’s lips got his attention. He looked over to see her laying in the bed again, though this time she was laying on her side facing him. “Before you ask, no, I’m not done.”

She bit at her bottom lip trying to hold back a smile and it nearly did him in right there. God, she was gorgeous.

Eren had to force himself to go back to his school work; he needed to get this done or he was never gonna do it. He scanned over the problem once more and quickly started to jut down some notes to help solve it. That was until his girlfriend who insisted on distracting him slid down into his lap. Her hands brushed against his shoulders, her legs on either side of his.

“Mika,” Eren groaned, dropping his pen and running his hands up her thighs. “I am not a strong person, this isn’t fair.”

She leaned in, pressing her lips against his neck. “Then come back to bed with me.” She trailed her lips up his neck, making his eyes flutter shut, fingers grasping down on her.

With another groan, he grabbed a hold of her ass, pushing his chair back with his legs as he stood up, Mikasa still in his arms. She moved her mouth to meet his, her legs wrapping around his waist while he carried her back to his bed. As carefully as he could, Eren dropped her back against the bed still leaning over her to kiss her. She ran her fingers through his hair sending shivers down his spine. Jesus, the things she did to him.

Eren broke their kiss to trail his lips down her jaw and onto her neck.  “The next time you try and distract me,” he murmured against her skin. “I won’t be as nice.” He pushed himself off of her and went back to his desk.

And now he had to try and do his homework with a boner.

He was incredibly grateful he had someone who loved him that much but he really needed to just get this stupid homework out of the way.

“Eren,” she groaned which didn’t help his case.

No, his best bet was trying to ignore her for now which he hated doing; he’d give her all his attention every second of the day if he could but this had to get done. He jotted down some more notes, checked his calculator and finally had the damn answer to the damn question. Now to do the next five and he’d be golden.

“Eren?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you help me with this?”

Eren looked over to see she had pulled out some of her books and had them laid out on his bed; she was laying on her stomach looking over it. “Yeah, of course.  What is it?” He walked over to the bed and plopped himself down on his stomach next to her, looking over to where she was pointing. “Huh,” he said, picking up the book to get a better look, his elbows brushing against his.

“See it kinda makes sense, but that second half doesn’t even seem like it belongs,” she said.

“No, yeah, I see what you mean. Well…” He placed the book down in front of him. He was going to grab her pen and try to note it out but when he looked over Mikasa was watching him with those eyes of her, that smile he loved to see pulling at her lips. He was kissing her before he even knew what happened.

Mikasa chuckled as she wrapped her around his neck while Eren grabbed a hold of her waist and rolled on his back, her legs falling to straddle his hips. She pressed her hips down into his causing him to groan against her lips, his fingers slipping under the hem of her shirt.

“Change your mind then?” she said with that smug ass look on her face as she sat up on him.

“Yes,” he breathed, her hands were already reaching to pull off his shirt so he did the same to her.

“Why?” She leaned back down, her bare skin brushing against his.

“Don’t you know?” He reached his hand behind her back unhooking her bra that she quickly slipped off. He ran his hands down her back, her lips kissing down his chest.

“Know what?” He eyes looked up to meet his, sparkling with that devious side only he ever got to see.

“You’re much better than doing homework.”

Mikasa cupped his face with her hands, pressing her lips to his. Eren always knew he and his homework never stood a chance with her in the room.

He wasn’t complaining.

 


	51. Underpants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Other pairings included: Ymir/Historia, Armin/Annie

_**Anonymous:**  how about eremika and aruani au where Mikasa and Annie are challenged by Sasha, Historia and Ymir to get Eren and Armin's underwear?_

* * *

 

“I got one for the both of you,” Ymir said from her spot on the couch, sipping back her drink.

Mikasa felt dread fill the pit of her stomach. Sure, she agreed to the game when they started but that was before she knew what Ymir was capable of.

“I can’t wait to see this!” Sasha called from the small dorm kitchen where she was making popcorn…or buffalo wings, Mikasa couldn’t quite tell.

Ymir leaned her head back against Krista’s chest who was sitting behind the taller girl; she was also tipping back her glass and trying not to laugh in the process. So far everyone went at least once save for Mikasa and Annie and of course just by Mikasa’s luck they got Ymir who was picking what they were supposed to do. Annie didn’t look too concerned but Mikasa fidgeted on the ground waiting for the word.

It’s not like she was scared to do something silly, she was a little tipsy after all, but that really depended on what she was gonna be asked to do. By the look on Ymir’s face it probably was gonna be something embarrassing and that Mikasa didn’t really like.

“You know those boys who live across the hall?” Ymir said.

Oh God.

“I see you two look over there when you think no one’s watching you. So what you have to go over there and bring back a little trophy.”

“What kinda trophy?” Mikasa was almost too afraid to ask.

Ymir looked like Christmas had come early. “Underwear.”

“Excuse me?” Annie’s calm features dropped slightly. “You know how creepy that is right?”

“Make up something then, that’s on you.”

“Any pair?” Mikasa asked. “Just can we like go in and grab the first we see or whatever?”

“No.” Ymir took a sip of her drink while Krista and Sasha were already laughing. “Annie, you need to go after the blond one. Don’t look at me like that, I’m not blind and you don’t always hide it very well. Mikasa, you’re so obvious you got it for the one with the eyes I don’t even think I have to say it.”

“Ymir,” she groaned. “This isn’t fair.”

“It’s plenty fair. Now, go on.”

“Maybe you’ll get more than underwear.” Sasha waggled her eyebrows at them and had to quickly duck at the cup Annie threw at her.

Annie stood to her feet and grabbed a hold of Mikasa’s arm to yank her up too. She wanted to die, to just die right there in the middle of the dorm room. She couldn’t even get up enough nerve to talk to him let alone go steal underwear from him. Eren, his name was Eren. She knew because he introduced himself once but that was about the extent of their conversation mainly because she avoided him at almost every chance she got so she wouldn’t embarrass herself.

Well, that was about to go out the window.

Annie practically slammed the door behind them and dragged Mikasa to the door right across the hall. “If I have to do this, so are you. Suck it up,” she said before raising her hand to knock on the door.

“Kill me, please,” Mikasa muttered hoping no one was there and they could go back in the safety of their own dorm.

Of course, the door swung open but neither boy they were supposed to see was standing there. It was Jean, their roommate, and he looked rather pleased to have to girls standing outside his door. Now more people had to know about this stupid dare. Ymir better not leave her drink open around Mikasa for a very long time.

“Hello, ladies,” he grinned and leaned up against the door frame. “How can I help you?”

“We’re looking for Eren and Armin,” Annie said swiftly.

Jeans grin turned into a scowl. “Of course you are. Why am I not surprised.” He stepped aside though a bit grumpy now. “Eren.” He pointed to the door straight ahead. “Armin.” He pointed to the door on the other side of the living room.

Annie made a beeline for Armin’s door and didn’t even knock, she just walked right in. Mikasa gave Jean weak smile before walking the short distance to Eren’s door. It had his name on it and some pictures but she felt too much like she was gonna hurl to see what they were. She wanted to knock because she didn’t want to terrify him or walk in on something she shouldn’t but she could almost feel Jean’s eyes on her. With her heart nearly pounding out of her chest she grabbed a hold of the door knob and twisted it open.

She slipped inside and shut the door behind her. The light was on but to her relief it was completely empty. He wasn’t here. This made it so much easier; she could take what she needed and he never had to know. Okay, that was a little creepy but at least it wasn’t embarrassing.

His room was a bit of a disaster but all his clothes were tossed on the floor which helped. She’d feel really awful to have to go through his drawers. She kicked around a few of his clothes trying to find a lone pair of boxers she could just shove under her shirt or something in case Jean was still out there. There! She found the band of a pair under some jeans. Mikasa reached down to pick them up, relieved this could finally be over but of course, like all her luck, the door swung open just when she did.

She dropped them like they were on fire and stood up straight her eyes meeting Eren’s.

He didn’t look angry, a little confused maybe, but not angry at least.

“Hi,” she said quickly, unsure of what else she could say.

“Hi,” Eren responded, a smile pulling at his lips. “Mikasa, right, from across the hall?” He shut the door behind him and walked into his room, tossing his bag on his bed.

“Uh, yeah.” She didn’t even know he remembered her name.

“Not that I mind having a pretty girl in my room when I get out of a long class.” He gave her another smile and sat down on his bed. “But did you need me for something?”

Mikasa figured she could lie and try and make this whole situation better but she had no idea what lie she could come up with. He seemed to be taking it just fine, still watching her with a smile. “It’s really embarrassing,” she settled on.

He laughed and it sent shivers down her spine. “I’ve done my fair share of embarrassing trust me.” He patted the bed next to him. “Tell me what it is and I bet you I’ve done worse.”

She hesitated but walked over to sit down next to him. Despite how much she really didn’t want to tell him, she was starting to feel a bit more at ease with it. Eren had this light hearted aura about him that just made her feel more comfortable, even if she was about to tell him he needed his underwear for a dare.

“My roommate’s girlfriend came over with some drinks.” Mikasa tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“Isn’t that always how it starts,” he chuckled, turning to face her and leaning back on his bed. “The tall one right? Ymir?”

Mikasa nodded. “She thought it’d be fun to make us all do ridiculous things, basically truth or dare without the truth.”

“Been there too.”

“Me and Annie, the, um, one with the blonde hair, who, um…”

“Who has a thing for Armin?”

Mikasa laughed. “Yeah, that’s her. It was our turn and we got dared to come over here and…” She winced. “Steal your underwear.”

Eren nodded thoughtfully. “That is a pretty good one but I’ve got one better.” He sat up early that he wasn’t one bit weirded out she was in his room to take his boxers. “I fully admit to being a lightweight when it comes to drinking, so I was completely hammered one night and my wonderful decided to take advantage of that. I bet you can see where this is going. Needless to say, I spent the night in campus security’s holding cell bare ass naked.”

She clasped her hand over her mouth trying not to laugh. It didn’t work very well.

“That’s alright,” he snorted. “It’s a great story now, even if I am banned from one section of campus. So needless to say I understand embarrassing dares.” Eren stood to his feet and walked over to his open drawer. He turned around a pair of his boxers on his finger. “I don’t mind helping you out because I get it, I do but you just have to bring them back.”

“Of course,” she nodded.

“Preferably tomorrow when I get out of my last class so I can take you out to get something to eat and hear how the rest of your night went.”

It took her a moment to understand the implication of his words. “Oh!” she exclaimed probably a little too loud. “I mean, yes, okay. That sounds good.”

Eren was laughing again as he tossed her the ultimate goal of her dare. “See you tomorrow then?”

“Yeah,” she said standing to her feet, his boxers in her hand. “See you then.”

He opened the door for her and Mikasa waved at him, of course with the hand that had his underwear in it. Eren snorted and waved back.

“What the hell has been going on here tonight?” Jean asked from the living room but Mikasa didn’t hear the answer. She practically ran out the door and across the hall before anyone else saw her.  

“There she is!” Sasha exclaimed when Mikasa shut her dorm room door behind her. “Annie got back much faster than you.”

Mikasa walked into the kitchen, holding the boxers behind her back. Annie was sitting on the floor, a prize of her own in front of her. “How’d you do that so fast?” Mikasa asked.

Annie shrugged. “I walked in, grabbed it and walked out.”

“Was Armin in there?”

“Yes.”

Well, that was one way to do it. All eyes were on Mikasa so she held her hand out in front of her to show she finished her dare too.

“Atta girl!” Sasha cheered. “Was he in there to?”

“Not at first,” Mikasa said, still holding onto the fabric. “He walked in when I was looking.”

Krista sound like she was gonna go into cardiac arrest she was laughing so hard.

“Did he give you shit for it?” Ymir snorted.

“No.” Mikasa couldn’t bite back her smile. “I got a date out of it.”


	52. Underpants II

_**Anonymous:**  hey! just wanted to let you know that your fic with Mikasa/Annie stealing Eren/Armin's underwear was brilliant! I was wondering if you're planning to do a continuation of it? I mean it's totally up to you ofc, but I could just picture Eren and Mikasa's date (and then maybe Eren ends up taking Mikasa's underwear in exchange...??)_

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Mikasa was pretty sure she never saw a smugger look on someone’s face than the first day Ymir saw Eren walk in the dorm room behind Mikasa. She avoided Ymir’s gaze the entire walk to Mikasa’s single room, though she was pretty sure Eren was giving Ymir a thumbs up. Mikasa shut the room to her door the moment they stepped inside hopefully cutting off anything Ymir had to say, all of which would probably be embarrassing even if the incident happened weeks ago.

Eren tossed his bag on the floor and flopped down on Mikasa’s bed, his head hitting her blanket as a mumbled groan fell from his lips.

And even if it had a pretty great outcome.

Mikasa sat down on her bed next to him as he cracked an eye open at her. “Do you have any tests or anything you need to study for?” she asked.

“Maybe my sleep study where I need to practice taking naps for the final exam of actually sleeping in for once in my life.”

She hit him in the stomach but it only made him laugh.

“C’mon, just for a little bit?” he asked, rolling over on his side. “I’ve been up since 9am, I’m exhausted.”

“I’ve been up since 6am.”

“Well, not everyone can be Wonder Woman, okay. I’m lucky if I’m Robin on a good day.”

Mikasa slid down on her bed, rolling over on her side to face him. She was finding more and more everyday it was actually impossible to resist Eren Jaeger. “With or without the tights?”

“Without, I don’t have the thighs for it. That’s Armin.”

She laughed, the image of Armin in tights a little too much for her. Eren had his eyes closed again but he draped an arm over her waist, tugging her in until her legs were bumped up against his. Her breath caught in her throat at his warm presence all around her. She reached her hand onto his back, fingers gripping lightly into his shirt. She’d never actually thank Ymir, but Mikasa was thankful for Ymir’s horrifying dare and because she probably knew what she was doing all along.

“Has Annie talked to him yet?” Mikasa asked, her own eyes fluttering shut when she felt his hot breath on her face.

“No, in fact she goes out of her way to avoid him at all costs now.”

Mikasa snorted. That sounded like Annie. “I told her to, that Armin wanted to talk to her and not just to get his clothing back.”

“I asked Armin if he thought she wasn’t giving them back because she liked to wear them herself.”

Mikasa gave Eren a light slap on the back, but she was laughing before she could stop herself.

“His response was the same, except with a lot less laughing and a lot more blushing.”

When she opened her eyes Eren was already watching her, a smile on his lips as one hand reached to tangle up in her hair. Her breath hitched in her throat. She couldn’t actually believe it took some silly dare to talk to the boy across the hall because now that she got to see him every day, Mikasa couldn’t imagine the days she didn’t have this level of comfort with him. Granted, that could’ve been because they met on the pretense she had to take his underwear from his room; that would do well to make anyone comfortable with each other once it was said and done with.  Well, that or never look at each other in the eye again as in Annie’s case.

It was strange. For so long he was that guy across the hall, the one she could never bring herself to talk to because he was just so out of her league. The gorgeous, pre-med student who always looked like he rolled out of bed but had big dimples when he smiled, how would he ever want to be seen with a plain girl who didn’t have a major and was here because she could run pretty fast? It was still surreal that he liked being around her, that he came to all her track meets, that he wanted to spend time with her.

“I think,” he said, running his fingers through her hair. “You should skip your class tonight.”

“Luckily I don’t fall for such bad influences.”

There was that smile. “Maybe you should.”

She rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t keep the smile off her lips. “How do you even keep up your grades when you skip classes?” She nudged him with her shoulder.

“Cause it’s all the basic stuff I’ve been learning since I was a kid. My dad owns a clinic and my mom’s a nurse there. During the summers me and Armin practically lived there since there was no one else to watch us if his grandpa was busy. I pretty much have had this stuff crammed down my throat since I was born.”

“I can’t say anyone has been forcing British Lit down my throat so unfortunately I do have to go to class.”

Eren snorted, pressed a few light kisses to her neck. “Have you decided on a major?”

Mikasa leaned her head back against her pillow. “No, not yet. I have a few options but I don’t know if I’ve made my mind up yet.”

“I got one for you.” Another kiss at the base of her neck.

“Yeah, what’s that?”

Another kiss on her collarbone. “Major in stealth with a minor in stealing underwear.”

Mikasa hoped Eren knew he deserved the sudden pounding of her hands against his chest. By the way he was laughing he didn’t seem to get that message.

“Okay, okay,” he said, holding his hands up to her as she kept hitting him. “I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yeah, that’s true. It was a good one.” He got another swift hit to the chest. Eren pushed his weight against her, pinning her down with his legs as she crossed her arms against her chest in what she hoped was an intimidating look.

Mikasa could do intimidating just fine, but it was hard when he was smiling again and she was trying to bit back her own smile.

“I can make it up to you, you know.” He leaned his head down, brushing his lips with hers and his hands moving to her waist.

“Oh?” she asked, breath hitching in her throat as his lips trailed across her jaw.

He hummed in response, hands slipping under the hem of her shirt. Goosebumps rose on her skin where his hands were grasping her.

“How’s that?” She reached up to run her fingers through his thick hair.

Eren looked up at her, turquoise eyes meeting hers. He had a grin on his lips as he slipped his hands just under the band of her shorts, fingers pulling at the top of her panties. “My turn.”

Heat swirled in the pit of her stomach as the intent of his words settled in on her. Yeah, it was pretty impossible to resist him.


	53. Werewolf

_**true-king-of-monsters** **:**  I have a prompt for an Eremika fic you might like. Eren suffers from Lycanthropy and he has no control over himself in his werewolf state. He keeps it a secret from even Mikasa and has to restrain himself every time the full moon shines. However, his system isn't perfect as does tend to break free and cause gruesome deaths amongst townsfolk and livestock alike. Mikasa, for the first time, sees what he truly is and tries to calm him down. However, things don't go exactly as planned._

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Eren heard her calling his name. He smelt her scent on the wind. His head snapped up and narrowed eyes saw her walking across the grass to the edge of the woods. He had no idea if she could see him in the darkness but he could see her clear as day, black hair blowing, her arms holding her thin night robe around her. Shivers rolled down his spine as he watched her get closer to him. There was a part of him that was telling him to run, that was Mikasa, leave before something happens but the voice was growing distant.

His bones cracked, his spine felt like it was snapping. His own hands weren’t his hands anymore; they were covered in fur and claws. Some part of him knew he should still run but as his hands hit the ground, body growing out long, back haunches, fur, a tail, his face extending, sharp teeth poking his mouth, all he could think about was how good she smelled.

“Eren?”

His head snapped towards her, looking at her with a snarl. She didn’t sound afraid but he could sense it in her. She was terrified; it was all the easier when prey was scared. He growled again and Mikasa took a step back.

“Eren, please, I know it’s you. I know you’re in there.” She tripped over something and fell to the ground.

Eren didn’t think, not like this, everything was instinct. A fallen woman in the woods was instinct. In a flash he was on her, teeth and claws making contact with her soft and delicate skin. He could hear her screaming, begging for him to stop but it only made him want to go after her more when his prey tried to get away. She kept calling for Eren but he didn’t even know who Eren was.

Eren bolted upright in his bed, his heart pounding in his chest it hurt, his stomach lurching so hard he thought he might be sick. Sweat was pouring down his face, coating his body even though it was the middle of winter and the fire in his bedroom was cracking quietly to keep the room warm. He clenched his hand to his chest trying to get his heart to slow down as he looked over to the sleeping body next to him.

Mikasa’s side was moving up and down in a steady rhythm, clearly still sound asleep. Eren let out a sigh of relief. It was just a dream.

As if knowing he was awake, she rolled over on their bed. Her eyes were still closed but she reached her arms out to him, hands landing lightly against his arm. He inhaled sharply at the sight of her face in the firelight; he knew it by heart at this point, the way half her cheek was scrunched up and scarred over, the way the four thick, even lines of scar tissue trailed from her forehead down to chin part of her mouth forever pulled downwards.

His heart clenched again. It wasn’t always just a dream though. He did attack her in the woods that night. He wished he could say he regained some of himself when he heard her crying and ran away as to not kill her, it was so far from the truth. If Armin hadn’t heard her screaming from the house over and came out with a gun to chase Eren away, he would’ve killed her.

It was bad enough stumbling back into his home the next morning and not seeing her anywhere only to find out she had been in critical condition with the local doctor all night trying to close the wounds so she didn’t bleed out. While he never remember the nights he wasn’t himself, all it took was one look at the type of wounds on the body he loved so much to know what caused them, to know what he had done to the person he loved most in the world.

“Eren?” her sleepy voice made him look back down at her. She was watching him this time, her head still resting on her pillow.

“Go back to sleep,” he said. “Everything’s okay.” He wanted to reach over and brush her dark bangs from her face, but sometimes he didn’t feel like he had the right to even look at her let alone touch her.

Mikasa sat up, the blanket falling around her waist and even through her night gown he could see the scars that ran across her arms, knowing there were matching ones across her chest and stomach as well. Eren looked away from her, swallowing the bile rising in his throat. He did this to her. What he was did this to her. How could he ever forgive himself for that? God, he had no idea how she even forgave him.

“Please, don’t do this.” Her voice was soft, almost pleading with him.

He was quiet for a moment. It wasn’t the first time and probably wouldn’t be the last time she caught him looking at her with guilty eyes. “How come you’re still here?” he asked, eyes watching the crackling flames of the fire. “Anyone would’ve been long gone after…” Eren couldn’t even bring himself to say it.

“Am I anyone?”

He might’ve smiled if it didn’t feel like his whole body was being weighed down. “I ruined your life. You’ll always look like…like you were mauled by a monster.” He glanced up at her. “Don’t you see the looks people give you? Don’t you even notice the way I fucked up everything for you.”

He tried to ignore the words he left unsaid. _I almost killed you._

“Do you think I’m still beautiful?” She was watching him very carefully, making sure she didn’t lean in too close. It wasn’t for fear though; despite all of that Mikasa was never afraid of him and he had no idea why.

Even now the firelight on her face, her dark hair against her fair skin, her eyes still bright. She was the most beautiful girl he ever met and that would never change. “Of course I do. You’re always beautiful.”

“Then why would I care what anyone else thinks?”

Eren dropped his head from her again but she caught his chin in her hand, lifting his eyes back to hers.

“You know what I see when I look in the mirror?”

He shook his head; she’d probably just get mad at him if he said the things that came to his head first. It wasn’t the first time they had this conversation.

“I see a reminder that sometimes the world is very cruel. You never asked for this, Eren, it wasn’t your fault. You did everything you could to make sure I never knew, to keep me safe. I went after you, not that other way around. You tried to protect me down until the last moment.”

His voice choked. “But I couldn’t protect you from me.”

Mikasa placed both her hands on the side of his face. “Then let me protect you. I won’t let anyone hurt you. You’re still Eren, the little boy who found me after my parents were killed and made me feel at home again. I love you, nothing can change that.”

He leaned his head into her hands, trying to ignore the way his eyes were stinging.

“So when I look in the mirror, yes, some things are incredibly cruel but that doesn’t mean there isn’t beauty there too. You held onto this burden for so long but you still always stayed the same man I fell in love with and that is a very beautiful thing.”

“I’m sorry, Mikasa,” he choked, hot tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

She brushed his tears away before pulling him back down on the bed, resting his head on her chest, fingers running through his hair. “I know,” she said in a gentle tone, one he probably didn’t deserve but she gave it to him anyway. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding onto her as he tried to control the cries that were falling from his mouth. His fingers brushed over some of the scarring on her waist, scars caused by his own hands. He didn’t know if he’d ever not feel an immense guilt for the way he hurt her but she was still here. Despite the things he did, she was still here. She saw something in him he couldn’t see and maybe that was beautiful in itself.


	54. Uptown Girl II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first part to this one is in Feels Like Home, Chapter 82 ^^

_**Anonymous:**  Heey can you pleaaaaaase do a continuation of "uptown girl" I loved that and I just wanted a little more haha <33_

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Mikasa never thought there’d be a day that she’d be woken up to the sweet sounds of the piano playing, but since it started happening she found it hard to live without. There was nothing like hearing the soft melodies, lulling her from sleep into the morning. She found herself more often than not staying at Eren’s as opposed to hers for a few reasons. One being he lived alone and didn’t have a nosey roommate like she did but another was because she loved to hear him play in the morning.

She stretched her arms over her head and sat up in the bed she had gotten so used to sleeping in these past few months. There was the usual melody playing through the apartment though Mikasa couldn’t quite pick out what it was. She kicked her feet out from underneath the blankets and walked to the closed bedroom door. She cracked it open just a bit to look out into the main area of Eren’s small apartment. The piano took up a good majority of the living room but it was a gift from his mother who saved up for years so he could have it. Mikasa hadn’t met his mother; she lived out in the country side to help with her poor health, but Mikasa always thought someone who would do that for her child had to be a good mom.

Eren was sitting at the piano still in the pants he slept in, his fingers brushing over the keys in ways that made the melody play out. Maybe it really was because she didn’t have much of a musical side but it still amazed her that he knew exactly what notes to play to make a beautiful song play even without a page of sheet music. Yeah, he played since he was a kid so it was probably easy for him, but it wasn’t easy for her so his talent stunned her more often than not.

She slipped out from the bedroom and padded across the wooden floors till she could lean up against the side of the piano.

Eren looked up when she did. “Good morning,” he said, a smile on his lips.

“Morning,” she yawned. She was never really one to sleep in, but Eren somehow always managed to be up before her.

His fingers halted on the piano and Mikasa instantly missed the music. He grabbed a hold of her waist instead, pulling her down till she was cradled in his lap, her legs falling around him on the bench. He reached around her to pick up in the song where he left off.

She sighed at the warmth on his body she had grown so used to and the melody that hit her ears again. “It’s very pretty,” she murmured. “What is it today? Beethoven? Chopin?”

Eren snorted and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “It’s from a video game.”

Mikasa laughed. “Okay, you win.”

“I can play classical if you’d like.” He cleared his throat and sat up straight, bumping Mikasa a little as he did and making her laugh again. The melody moved seamlessly into something a little bolder, something that made his hands move quickly across the keyboard. She could barely keep up with him as he played the song.

“Okay, no need to show off,” she chuckled hitting him lightly on the shoulder.

His hands moved back into the light melody was playing earlier, a smile on his lips. “That’s what my mom always wanted me to play. She loves classical music so she made me learn as much as I possibly could but I always just wanted to play…” He trailed off as he started to play one that was more familiar to her.

“Billy Joel,” she said.

Eren nodded. “ _If you said goodbye to me tonight there would still be music left to write._ ” His voice was soft, and little hoarse probably from not being a wake for too long but it was the best music to her ears. _“What else could I do? I’m so inspired by you. That hasn’t happened for the longest time_.”

She traced her fingers against his chest, his hands still playing the song even after he stopped singing. “Did your mom get mad?”

“She pretended to,” he laughed lightly. “She said I should focus on the classics but I always caught her singing along whenever I learned a new song.” He paused for a moment. “She’d like you.”

“Would she?” They hadn’t been together for that long; this was probably the first time he mentioned her meeting his parents.

“She would. I used to just play once a night at the café and that was it. Since I met you I play this piano almost every day again. That she’d like.”

“Whys that?” Mikasa’s voice was soft.

“It’s a very solitary instrument,” he said, the melody of the song still playing. “Sure you can do duets or you can be in an orchestra but for the most part you just need one person to play. But, it’s different when you have someone to play for.”

She tried to bite back her smile; it didn’t work so well. “Do you like to play for me?”

“Mika, I love to play for you.”

Her chest filled with the sweetest type of warmth. “Can you play me a memory?”

He laughed aloud and led into the beginning of the song Mikasa had no doubt he had played dozens and dozens of times. “My most requested for the obvious reasons,” he said, he rolled his eyes but he was still smiling at her.

Mikasa closed her eyes with a sigh as the sweet melody played in her ears. Eren sang along softly and she thought she might just fall asleep again she was so peaceful. It was a crush, that was how it started. A crush on a guy who played at a café. Now she had someone she was falling more in love with every day who brought a kinda joy to her life she never knew before. She never knew how she lived without waking up to Eren playing the piano before, she never know how she lived without his laugh, his smile, his comforting presences.

“ _Sing us a song tonight,_ ” he sang with the chords he was playing _. “Well we’re all in the mood for a melody and you’ve got us feeling alright._ ”

Mikasa knew now that she had it she wasn’t gonna let it go.


	55. Whipped

_**Anonymous:**  I'm not really sure about this buuuut Eren as the whipped boyfriend of Mikasa ?_

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Eren was one lap away from beating Jean and his stupid smugass face. One lap away. Eren pressed down the right buttons on the controller and moved the joystick with his thumb to slide easily around the corner on the screen. Jean let out some gargled noise of frustration as Eren’s character kept moving farther and farther away and he really hoped Jean didn’t get a sudden burst of luck with items.

“You’re phone’s ringing, Eren,” Connie said, his own eyes focused on the screen though he was much farther behind than them.

Eren glanced away from the screen for a brief moment to look at his phone that was buzzing next to him on the couch. If it was his mom or really anyone he wouldn’t feel bad ignoring it to finish the race but it was that one name that would make him drop just about anything. As swiftly as he could, he grabbed the phone and slipped it against his shoulder so he could put his hand back on the controller.

“Hey, babe, what’s up?” Eren kept his tone casual, even though Jean got significantly closer while Eren picked up his phone.

“Hey, I’m sorry to bother you. I know you’re with your friends.” Mikasa probably sounded like she always did to just about everyone but Eren easily heard the hesitance in her voice.

“Don’t worry about it.” He had to swerve to miss a shell Jean shot out. Eren reached out from his spot on the couch and kicked at Jean who was sitting on the floor. “What’s wrong?”

“I never said anything was wrong.”

“You didn’t have to.” Almost to the finish line. “What’s the matter?”

She was quiet and Eren could almost see her shifting her weight and biting at her bottom lip. “My ride bailed on me. I was wondering if maybe you could come get me so I don’t have to walk back to campus?”

“Of course. I’ll be right there okay?” he said. Though at the same moment Jean launched out an item that hit Eren right in the ass, and letting Jean pass to finish in first place. Eren was pretty sure Connie was gonna die of laughter when Eren stood up and threw the controller at Jean.

“Oh thank you so much,” Mikasa breathed clearly relieved. “I’m just waiting outside the main entrance to the mall, okay?”

Normally, Eren probably would’ve been mad Jean pulled such a cheap ass move but it was hard to feel anything but the warmth in his chest when Mikasa sounded so happy. “I’m leaving campus now.”

“Okay, I’ll see you soon.” He felt a smile pulling at his lips just imagining her bright eyes, her own small smile on her face.

“Okay. Thank you, I love you.”

“Love you too.” Eren clicked off the phone and went to pat down his pockets for his keys to make sure they were there. When he looked up, everyone including Armin in the kitchen was watching him. “What the hell are you staring at?” Eren grunted.

“She has got you wrapped around her finger,” Jean said.

“Like Indiana Jones.” Connie felt the need to add to his reference by making a whipping motion with his hand.  “I’ve never seen him act this way with any girl before.”

“Can I remind you that I’m the only one in this room who actually has a girlfriend,” Eren said. “I don’t think either of you are in any place to talk.”

“Yeah, but you can’t just drop everything for her all the time,” Connie said leaning back against the couch. “Then she’ll just think she can run your life.”

“I’ll tell her you said that, then I won’t have to be the one to kick your ass.” Eren paused for a moment. “Nor am I taking relationship advice from you of all people who hasn’t been on a date since high school.”

“Then listen to me who has far longer relationships than you have,” Jean said. “You have to be careful and set some boundaries, like ditching your friends to do something for your girlfriend.”

Eren arched an eyebrow. “I’m not listening to you either. You wanted to date Mikasa before you found out she liked me.”

“Guys,” Armin laughed. “This is Mikasa, I don’t even think she knows how to take advantage of someone, let alone Eren.”

“Go ahead and take his side then,” Connie said, throwing a pretzel from the bowl on the table towards Armin.

“Maybe not Mikasa,” Jean said as he crossed his arms against his chest. “But he might need to know this for the next one.”

Eren snorted. “You wish there was gonna be a next one. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to go pick up my girlfriend so she isn’t standing outside alone in the dark.” He pointed at Jean. “Then I want a rematch, you cheating ass.”

If Jean said something, which he probably did, Eren didn’t hear it already heading out the door and shutting it behind him. He hurried out the dorm and to his car in the parking lot to try and make up the wasted time he spent with his idiots of friends.

Whipped? Really? Was that even still a term people used? There was nothing wrong with doing things for the person you loved, especially if it meant that person walking home in the dark. Granted, Eren pitied anyone who tried to jump Mikasa.

He pulled out of the parking lot and headed out of campus on the familiar path to her work. The mall wasn’t too far away from campus, but he’d never let her just huff it all the way back alone. It didn’t matter what he was doing, she always came first. How could that be wrong?

Okay, so Eren did get where they were coming from. Some girls very well might use and abuse the notation they were with someone who would do anything for them but Mikasa wasn’t some girl, she wasn’t even any girl. She was the girl he had a crush on almost instantly after seeing her in one of his classes and constantly had to fight off Jean to be able to talk to her. She was the girl who laughed at Eren’s dumb sense of humor, the girl who smiled whenever she saw him, who wanted to do things with him, who trusted him to be there when she needed him, and he always would be.

He turned down the street that would eventually lead to the mall. And okay, maybe Eren didn’t have the best track record with relationships. They tended to be few and far between and when he did have them they never lasted much more than a week or so. Nothing ever clicked with the girls he dated even if they liked him just fine. He figured maybe that’s just how it would be, but then he met Mikasa and as cliché as it sounded, all of that changed. She made him want to go out of his way for her, she made him want to put effort into their relationship, he wanted this to last.

The mall was pretty dead being past closing time already so it was easy to get a parking spot close to the front. He knew he could just drive up from and she could get in the car but he wanted to physically see her after she had been working almost a full day at the store. He stepped out into cool air, shutting the car door and locking it behind him before heading up to the main entrance of the mall.

Jean and Connie could rag on him all they wanted, there was nothing better than seeing Mikasa smile as she waved to him and started to walk over to meet him in the parking lot. She wrapped her arms around him and placed her head against his shoulder with a sigh.

“Long day?”Eren asked rubbing his hands up and down her back as he tried to ignore the way his stomach was fluttering at her presence.

She groaned. “Yes, thank you so much for coming to get me.”

Eren pressed a kiss to her temple. Jean and Connie really could say what they wanted cause they didn’t wake up most mornings and see the most beautiful girl Eren had ever seen curled up next to them. They had no idea what it was life to have someone like her in their lives. If this was being whipped then he’d take it a thousand times over.

“Of course, anything for you.”


	56. Wisdom Teeth

**@jaegerchipsposted:**

Someone should totally write a fic about Mikasa getting her wisdom teeth removed, and she’s loopy on the meds and accidentally says her confession of loving Eren out loud (Eren and Armin are there while she says it LMAO…they were with Mikasa for “support”)

* * *

 

It was a routine surgery, one that wasn’t out of the ordinary at all. Eren sat in the very same waiting room he waited in when he had his wisdom teeth removed in high school. He tapped at his knees impatiently as he stared at the door leading deeper into the building, waiting for someone to come out and tell him Mikasa was done and perfectly okay.

“Staring isn’t gonna make time go by any faster,” Armin said from the next to Eren, though the blond never took his eyes off the magazine he was flipping through.

“Like reading gossip magazines is?” Eren snorted.

“Yes, actually. Reading helps pass the time very nicely and now I know all about the recent break up and make ups in the Hollywood world.”

“Which helps you how?”

“If you don’t think this is important information than I don’t know what to tell you, Eren.”

“You can walk back to campus.”

Armin laughed, looking up from the magazine, his blue eyes looking far too amused for his own good. “Will you relax? She’s fine. They do this procedure all the time, and she has no impacted teeth like someone else I know so it’s an easy surgery.”

Eren crossed his arms against his chest and leaned back in his chair. Sure he knew Armin was right but that didn’t mean it made the waiting any easier. Eren offered to drive her since he kept his car on campus and that way Levi wouldn’t have to take the day off to bring her in and take her home. Plus any excuse to miss some classes was a good one; the office even gave him a doctor’s note since he was caretaker for the day. Armin came along as well; he only had one class fairly early in the morning and probably to keep Eren sane while waiting for the surgery to be over.

He vaguely remembered the day he got his wisdom teeth out but most of it was a giant blur of spitting up blood and his mom laughing at something ridiculous he must’ve said while under the influence of anesthesia and pain killers.

“Hey, Levi picked up her prescription already right? For her pain killers?”Eren asked, turning to Armin.

“He said he left them on the kitchen table when you get there,” Armin said flipping a page of the magazine.

“Are you not coming back to her house?”

“Nah.” Armin leaned back in his chair. “I’ll just walk down to my house and see my grandpa. You can call me if you need me but I figured both you and she would probably just fall asleep when you got to her house anyway.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong. Eren had been up much earlier than usual to get Mikasa here on time. “Alright. You want me to drive you down there?”

Armin shook his head. “It’s turning out to be a nice day, I’ll be fine walking.”

Eren was about to offer again but the door opened up, and Mikasa and another woman walked through; he wanted to call her a nurse but he wasn’t sure if that was the right term in dental. He stood up with Armin following behind and walked up to where Mikasa was standing.

“You okay, Mik?” he asked.

She nodded though her eyes looked a little glazed over, her cheeks already a little swollen.

“Everything went fine,” the nurse said with a smile. “I assume you have everything you need for her involving her recovery?”

“Yeah, we got it all,” Eren said.

“Okay, she’s all set to go then,” the nurse said before turning back towards the door, leaving Mikasa standing still in front of them.

“You need help walking at all?” Eren asked but she shook her head. Of course, she took one wobbly step forward and he quickly grabbed a hold of her waist, keeping her steady against his side. “Let’s try this again, okay?”

“Eren,” she whined in a voice he hadn’t heard since they were kids.  

Armin looked like he wasn’t even making an effort not to laugh as he held the front door open for them. “What was that again, Mikasa?”

She reached out to hit him in the stomach maybe, but she missed so badly that she just ended up hitting the door instead. Armin at least tried not to laugh that time, probably afraid she really would hit him a second time. Granted, it would be when she remembered Armin teasing her later in the week he’d wanna be afraid for.

Eren helped her into the front seat of her car, having to go as far to do her seatbelt up for her since her numerous attempts in doing it herself didn’t work so well. “Let’s get you home and in bed,” Eren said as he slid down in his seat, Armin nestled in the back of the small car. “Tell me if you need to stop at all, if you feel like you’re gonna be sick, okay, Mikasa?”

She nodded before letting her head roll back onto the headrest.

“Remember the not too distant past?” Armin asked obviously referring to Eren’s ride home from surgery which only resulted in him throwing up numerous times in his mom’s car.

“Yeah, I’d rather not have a repeat of that.” Eren put the car in reverse and back out of his parking spot. He shifted into first and started out the parking lot, onto the nearby road that would take them back to their neighborhood.

Mikasa was pretty quiet, which wasn’t too unusual really. Sure he had his fair share of delirious babbling that his mom and Armin still teased about but Mikasa was different. Eren knew all of this would affect her differently than him. Still he tried to drive as smoothly as he could to make sure he didn’t bump her at all in case the meds started to wear off before they could get home.

“Eren?” Her voice was a little garbled but he’d know his name on her lips anywhere.

“Yeah, Mik?”

“Can I hold your hand?”

It wasn’t really that out of place, he supposed. She always went to him for comfort, and it wasn’t like they never held hands before. They were best friends since they were kids, it happened quite often growing up; even if he did sometimes wish it meant more than it actually did.

“I can’t, I’m driving.” He wiggled his fingers on the stick shift, before shifting up into third as he hit the main section of the road. “Why don’t you hold Armin’s hand?”

“I don’t wanna,” she whined a little.

“Is there something wrong with my hand?” Armin asked. Eren saw that stupid gleam in his other best friend’s eyes when he glanced in the rearview mirror.

“Your hand is beautiful, Armin,” Mikasa said. “But Eren’s is warmer.”

“I can’t argue there.”

Eren rolled his eyes. “Alright, but I’m gonna have to let go when I have to downshift okay?” Like he could actually say no to her.

She nodded and quickly took his hand in hers, bringing it up to her chest. It was a little bit uncomfortable, but if it made her feel better than it was fine.

“You’re warm,” she stated firmly.

“I know that, thank you.”

“How do you know?”

“Cause you’ve told me before, Mikasa,” he said, glancing over at her and unable to keep a smile off his lips when he saw her staring at him.

“Oh, well, it’s true.”

“Thank you for telling me the truth then.”

“You’re like a blanket or…or like a heater.”

“Mmm,” Armin hummed. “Those are beautiful compliments, Mikasa.”

“Thank you, Armin.”

“Oh my God, Armin, leave her alone,” Eren said. He really wanted to reach around hit the blond for egging Mikasa on knowing very well Armin would tease her like they teased him, but to do that Mikasa would have to let go of his hand, and so far she showed no signs of ever doing that.

“I’m sorry,” Armin laughed. “She’s cute like this though.”

“I’m not cute,” she said, wrinkling her nose.

“Are you kidding me? You’re the cutest,” Eren said. He lifted one of his fingers from her grasp to tap at her chin.

“No, I’m not. You are.”

Eren opened his mouth but quickly closed it. He felt heat rise up to his cheeks even if he very well knew she was saying that under the influence. “Me? You really must be loopy, Mik.”

She shook her head. “I’m not. You are and your…your…” Her eyes fluttered shut and for a moment Eren thought she was about to fall asleep. “Messy brown hair and your pretty eyes and nice skin.”

“Nice skin,” Armin said looking way too amused. “That’s a new one.”

“Armin,” Eren warned but he had a feeling how red his face must’ve been probably had the opposite of his tone’s intended effect.

“Yeah, you know, soft,” Mikasa continued like nothing was wrong. “And strong.”

“I gotta downshift,” Eren said clearing his throat. “Can I have my hand back?”

“For now,” Mikasa said, letting him go so he could slow the car down enough to make the turn onto their road.

“Sure you don’t want a ride to the Colonel’s Armin?” Eren said, glancing in the rearview mirror.

Mikasa made some kinda strange gargled crying noise causing him to reach over to tilt her face to his.

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t feel good,” she murmured.

“It’s fine, Eren,” Armin said. “Take her home, I’ll be fine.”

“Alright, buddy, thanks.” Eren dropped his hand to his stick shift again, shifting down into first as he approached the row of very familiar houses. “Which home do you wanna go to, Mikasa? Both yours and mine will be empty and quiet for you to sleep.”

“Yours,” she answered, leaning back against the seat.

“Alright, let me have your keys and I’ll run into your house and grab whatever you want.”

Mikasa threw her entire purse at him when he pulled into her driveway; though thankfully it lacked the normal force. “I don’t need anything.”

“No clothes or something to change into?”

“Yours are fine.”

Eren nearly rolled his eyes but he found his breath catching in his throat at the familiar sight of her wearing his clothes.

“Feel better, Mikasa,” Armin said, leaning in between the two front seats to press a kiss to her cheek. “I’ll stop by later to make sure he’s taking good care of you.”

“Bye, Armin,” she waved even though he was practically sitting next to her.

“I’ll be right back, okay?” Eren said as he grabbed her keys from the front pocket of her purse.

She nodded in response. He jumped out of the car, pushing the seat up so Armin could get out too before shutting the door.

“Don’t even say a word,” Eren grunted knowing that knowing look on Armin’s face.

“I wasn’t gonna say anything,” Armin said holding his hands up as he started to walk away. “Call me if you need me.”

“Got it.”

Armin waved before turning down the sidewalk to walk the short distance to the house he grew up in. Eren turned back towards Mikasa’s house, unlocking the familiar front door and heading inside. There were a few bags on the kitchen counter as Eren walked down the hall. One was her medicine which he grabbed and the other looked like some snacks and food she could eat when she wanted to; Eren knew his mom already bought stuff to make when she got home from work as well. He grabbed both the bags and headed back out the front door, locking it behind him.

Mikasa was leaning out his car door and he nearly ran back over to her. She looked up when he crouched down in front of her, her eyes drooping and her face pale. “I really don’t feel well.”

“That’s okay. That’s why I’m here.” Eren tossed the smaller bag into the larger grocery bag and placed it on the ground. She was by his side every day when he was recovering from his surgery; he had every intention of doing the same. “Why don’t we get over to my house so Levi doesn’t freak out when he comes home and sees vomit in his driveway.”

Mikasa snorted but nodded. His house wasn’t too far away, just a few down the street. Instead of shoving her in the cramped car again and risking her getting car sick, he just slipped his arms underneath her legs and around her back, pulling her effortlessly up into his arms. It was such an easy motion after years of doing it; and nothing felt better than the feeling of her safe in his arms. She must’ve felt the same way because she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled her head against him.

He used his foot to close the car door, and bent down to grab the bag he left on the pavement. He didn’t need to worry about locking his car; no one would want that thing, and everyone in the neighborhood was too scared of Levi to steal anything from his driveway.

“Try and stay awake for a little bit longer,” Eren said as he started down the sidewalk, carrying her down the path to his house.

“I wanna sleep.”

“I know you do, but let’s get you inside first.”

“Eren?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re the best.”

He felt a smile pulling at his lips from her words. He adjusted her slightly as he walked, just so she didn’t slip at all. As predicted, both his mom and his dad’s cars were gone; both were away at work for the day, though Eren was pretty sure Carla would find some way to slip away so she could come fuss over Mikasa.

“Almost there,” Eren said, walking up the path to his house and the short steps to the front door. He balanced her and the bags carefully as he fished his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door. “Okay,” he breathed, the quiet house laid out in front of them. He closed the door behind him with his back. “You wanna sleep on the couch with the TV or in my room?”

“Your room,” she murmured.

“Upstairs it is.” He turned towards the stairs and carried her up to his room, placing her down on his bed. It was actually made; Carla must’ve cleaned after the last time he visited. “Why don’t you get changed and I’ll go bring this stuff downstairs.”

Mikasa nodded though she was already laying down on top of his bed. He had no idea if she’d make it to getting changed let alone getting under the blankets. He turned back into the hallway, heading downstairs and giving her some space to get comfortable.

Eren tried not to put too much stock in her words. She was high on pain medicine, it was the obvious explanation but he couldn’t stop the way they warmed his chest, the way she looked at him so adoringly made his heart skip. He quickly put away the food Levi left for Mikasa, and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge in case she woke up and needed medicine. He climbed the stairs again, this time with the water and bag of pills in his hand and popped his head in his room.

She did make it into the covers, her clothes left discarded on the ground. She was wearing one of his shirts she probably grabbed from his dresser at random, and he assumed some shorts or sweatpants but she was already so bundled up he couldn’t tell.

“I’m gonna leave this here for you,” Eren said placing the water and bag down on his nightstand. “Want me to leave your phone here too so you can call me if you need me?”

“Eren?” she asked as she rolled over a little to face him.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“Will you stay with me?”

“Of course.”

She rolled over, nuzzling back into his blankets while Eren pulled his shirt off over his head and dug out some sweatpants to pull on. He pushed the blankets back so he could lay down too, pulling them back up when he was settled down next to her. Mikasa hummed contently but when he looked her eyes were already closed. He was about to do the same when he felt a light tapping on his chest.

“Eren?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.”

He cracked an eye open at her to see her eyes watching him. “I love you too, Mik.”

“No,” she said. “I  _love_ you love you.”

“You love me love me? Are we in fifth grade again?” he snorted but it was only to mask the fact his stomach was in his throat.

She hit him in the chest and that time there was some force behind it. “I mean it.”

He rolled over on his side to face her. “Wanna know a secret then?”

“Yeah,” she yawned, reaching over to wrap her arms around him, nuzzling her head into his chest.

“I love you love you too.”

Mikasa made some kinda strange happy noise, but judging by the way she was breathing against him, she finally passed out. He placed his arm around her, his hand against her back. Everything was always brighter when Mikasa was with him.

She probably would never remember this when she woke up, when the anesthesia wore off but he would. He’d never forget.


	57. Walking In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rated T for Brief Sexual Implications

_**Anonymous:**  okay but how about Grisha and Mr. Ackerman/ Carla and Mrs. Ackerman walks in on Eren and Mikasa making out and teasing them about it uwu_

* * *

 

“And you’re sure your parents won’t be home for a while?” Eren’s eyes looked a little worried as he laid on his side watching her, his thumb rubbing over her cheek.

“Yes,” Mikasa said, leaning in to press a quick kiss to his lips. “My dad took my mom to an appointment. It’ll be a while.”

Eren didn’t look too convinced but once Mikasa hitched her leg up over his hip, he eagerly pressed his body against hers, pushing her into the back of the couch they were laying on. His lips met hers, one hand cupping her face and the other sliding down her body until he grabbed onto the skin of her thigh where her uniform skirt was riding up.

Her breath caught in her throat as she kissed him back, her hands reaching up to tangle in his thick hair while shivers went down her spine. She did understand Eren’s worry, she did. It wasn’t like she had the guts to tell her parents either. They’d make such a big deal about it and never let Mikasa be alone with Eren again. Mikasa wasn’t ready for that. She liked it just being him and her and she wanted to keep it that way. Eren was more or less worried her parents would murder him.

That fear might’ve been warranted.

Mikasa gasped when Eren trained his lips across her jaw and down her neck, his fingers pressing into the bare skin of her thigh, inching up under her skirt. It really was only a few months and it took a few weeks to find that balance between their previous close friendship and being in an actual relationship. Once they got their footing Mikasa was pretty sure her stomach hadn’t stopped fluttering.

She tugged his hair gently bringing his face back up to her lips. This was the boy she had a crush on for years, never dreaming he’d feel the same way she did. Heat filled the pit of her stomach when she felt his hard arousal pressed against her. She rolled her hips into him, her leg tightening around his waist.

Eren’s body tensed, a moan falling from his lips as he broke away from their kiss. He leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes clenched shut. “You’re gonna kill me, Mik.”

“That wouldn’t be so bad a death would it?”

His lips crashed against hers, her hands running back though his hair. Mikasa never knew how she lived without having him all to herself for all those years.

“What is going on in here?”

If there was one thing that could strike fear into her heart it was her mother using that tone.

Eren sat up so fast he fell off on the couch, landing right on his ass on the floor before Mikasa could grab him. Of course, she was already sitting up, her hands over her mouth. She looked down to Eren who was staring wide eyed and terrified at Mikasa’s mom.

Mikasa slowly followed his gaze to see her mom, hands on her hips and not looking remotely pleased.

“Mikasa Ackerman,” Vita said in that tone that made Mikasa feel like she was two feet tall. “You very well know better than to have boys over when there’s no one home.”

“I, um…” Mikasa said, tugging down her skirt. “I thought it was okay cause it…was just Eren.”

“Well, obviously he’s not _just_ Eren, is he?”

“Mrs. Ackerman,” Eren choked. “I can explain.”

That didn’t make anything better. “Oh, can you, Eren Jaeger? Because I’m not sure there’s much else to explain.” She pointed a finger at the two of them. “I know you’re fifteen and everything’s changing but just because you’re old friends and you live nearby does not give you an excuse to fool around with each other.”

“No, Mom…” Mikasa’s hands gripped into her skirt. “It’s not like that.”

“Then enlighten me, Mikasa, what is it like?”

Mikasa looked to Eren who gave her a quick nod, probably afraid of what Vita would do if they didn’t tell the truth. “We’re…um, he’s…he’s my boyfriend.”

Vita arched her eyebrows. “And you were gonna tell us when?”

Mikasa wanted to say whenever you worked it out but something told her that wouldn’t go over well. God, it was so much easier telling the Jaegers; it barely even phased them. “It hasn’t been that long.”

Wrong answer.

“Oh, so all the better to be making out on my couch right?”

“What’s the problem in here?” Tom asked stepping into the living room.

“Why don’t you ask your daughter and her boyfriend?” Vita crossed her arms against her chest.

Tom looked from Mikasa to Eren, who was still firmly seated on the floor and probably really wanting to die this time, and then back to Vita. “Are you surprised?”

“Well…” Vita shifted her weight. “No, not really.”

“Then what’s the issue? It’s not like you told your parents everything at fifteen or snuck a boy in the house when no one was home?”

Mikasa blinked up at her father. She didn’t expect her father, currently being promoted for chief of his precinct, to be on their side.

“That being said, c'mere, Eren, me, and you are gonna have a talk.”

That was more like it.

Eren gave Mikasa a panicked kinda look but he got up on his feet and walked over to Tom. He placed his hands on Eren’s shoulders, leading him out of the room.

Vita sighed before looking back over Mikasa. Her mom walked over to sit down on the couch, taking in a breath. “I’m sorry for reacting that was. Your father is right, it’s normal even if I don’t agree with it. So you’re not allowed to be in the house alone with Eren, or his house for that matter and no, Armin is not a good enough chaperone.”

“Okay,” Mikasa said, still feeling a little weary she was gonna get in trouble.

Vita sighed but she gave Mikasa a smile. “It’s hard to see my little girl grow up so fast but go on, tell me, did he ask you?”

Mikasa felt her face heat up. “Mom, please, can we not.”

“Unless you want to get grounded for having your boyfriend over when you knew you shouldn’t.”

Mikasa groaned. “Yes, he asked me. Happy?”

Vita hummed in response. “I always knew he’s open his eyes some day. This was admittedly a little sooner than I expected but I guess Eren’s growing up too.” Vita looked over to Mikasa. “Does he make you happy?”

“Yeah.” Mikasa bit down on her bottom lip as she tried to hide her smile. “Yeah, he does.”

“Well, good. Just tell your father if he doesn’t.”

“Mom.”

Vita chuckled. “Just remember you’re still young, Mikasa, and he is too. You have all the time in the world to let your relationship grow. No need to rush anything.”

“Can I go rescue Eren now?”

“Go ahead,” Vita laughed.

Mikasa hurried to her feet but turned to give her mom a quick smile before Mikasa left the room. Okay, it did feel a little better now that her parents knew.


End file.
